JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The majority of Floridians are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while thousands are still testing positive for the virus.
QUESTION:
Many wonder, should you wait to get the COVID-19 vaccine if you contracted the virus recently?
ANSWER:
Yes, we can verify, you should wait to get the COVID-19 vaccine if you contracted the virus recently.
SOURCES:
CDC and Dr. Michael Koren, Director of Research at the Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research.
What We Found:
Koren said after you have COVID-19, your immune system is on overdrive, and by giving a vaccine, that further pushes your immune system. He said you may have intensified side effects for this reason.
“You’ll get side effects such as muscle aches, fever and chills, that are not related to infection, but to the fact that your immune system is on overdrive,” Koren said.
That’s why Koren said you need to give your immune system a break after infection.
More specifically, you should wait 90 days after infection.
In that time before receiving the vaccine, Koren said your body has antibodies from the virus. The vaccine would serve like a booster shot after 90 days.
If you get the vaccine and unknowingly have COVID-19, you may again have intensified reactions.
Koren said you may feel lousy, but you should not worry.
“The worst complications come from the virus,” Koren said. “The immune system activation comes from the vaccine. And the immune system activation is short. It goes on for a few days.”
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