‘Excessive alcohol intake can reduce immune response to vaccines’

By Archana Sharma Jaipur, Jan 7 : Sudhir Bhandari, principal and controller at the SMS Medical College here, who had headed a medical team to develop a combination of antiviral and antibiotic drugs to cure Covid patients initially when the virus had broken out in the country, spoke to IANS before the much-awaited vaccine roll-out, saying that vaccination shall bring in herd immunity and help the nation become Corona-free soon.
Being a member of the state advisory board of the government for Covid-19 and head of the core treatment group of the government for the pandemic, he cleared the air on the interaction between alcohol and Covid vaccine, virus mutation, any after effects of the vaccine and many more such issues, saying that excessive alcohol can reduce the immune response to the vaccines. Here are some excerpts from the exclusive interview: Q. When is the Covid-19 vaccine likely to be available and who shall get it first? A: The government will probably get it in the current month itself, while it is likely to be available in the private market by March. The vaccine will be prioritised. The frontline workers and first responders like paramedical staff, civil servants, police and army personnel, and politicians will get it first. People aged more than 50 years and those with comorbidities like diabetes, hyper tension, transplant and chemotherapy patients will get it next. They willbe followed by healthy adults, teenagers, children and lastly the neonates, if at all.
Q: What is the interaction between alcohol and Covid vaccine? A: Excessive alcohol intake can reduce the immune responses to the vaccine. Since Russians are known for heavy drinking, their government has advised them to avoid drinking for two weeks prior to the first dose and six weeks after the second dose. The Sputnik vaccine is given in two doses 21 days apart. Occasional glass of wine or beer will not interfere with the immune response.