MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2020) There is no need to absolutely abstain from drinking alcohol during vaccination against the coronavirus, but doctors recommend that recipients avoid alcohol during three days after receiving each injection of the two-shot vaccine, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of Russia's Gamaleya research institute that developed the Sputnik V vaccine, said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Russia's public health watchdog chief, Anna Popova, said that those who are set to get inoculated should stop consuming alcohol at least two weeks prior to the first injection and 42 days after it.
"Of course, we are not talking about a complete ban on alcohol during vaccination. Only about a reasonable limitation of consumption for the period when the body is still developing the immune response to the coronavirus infection," Gintsburg told reporters.
This applies to any vaccine, not only Sputnik V, since excessive alcohol consumption can significantly damage the immune system and therefore reduce vaccination efficacy, the official explained.
"Nevertheless, we strongly recommend refraining from drinking alcohol for three days after each injection," Gintsburg said.
This week, Russia is launching its large-scale vaccination campaign. Medical personnel, social service workers and teachers are the first in line to get shots of Russia's pioneer adenoviral vector-based vaccine, Sputnik V.
