Can You Drink Alcohol After Getting a COVID-19 Booster?

You may want to avoid alcohol for a few days after getting a COVID-19 vaccine or booster. Some hangover symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, and nausea, may overlap with potential side effects of vaccines. Keep in mind that this depends on individual response.

No official guidelines exist on drinking alcohol after getting a booster or vaccine. Some evidence suggests that heavy alcohol consumption may increase the risk of severe side effects from vaccines, such as the flu vaccine. Moderate consumption may have a different risk profile. It may be best to avoid alcohol for a few days.

Is It Safe To Drink Alcohol After a COVID Booster?

There is no official guidance on drinking alcohol after the COVID booster and vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for newly vaccinated people do not mention alcohol, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vaccination fact sheets for the Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines also do not mention alcohol.

Alcohol and the Immune Response

Some evidence suggests that light-to-moderate drinking may improve response to vaccination. Light drinking typically refers to up to three drinks per week. Drinking 12 or fewer drinks in the past year is also considered light consumption. Moderate drinking is more than three drinks, but no more than seven per week for females. Moderate drinking is more than three drinks, but no more than 14 per week for males.

Research notes that chronic heavy drinking has been shown to increase your risk for bacterial and viral infections. The CDC defines heavy drinking as more than seven drinks per week for women and more than 14 for men.

There are many factors regarding alcohol intake and its impact on the body. More studies are needed to know the full effects of alcohol on the immune system.

Alcohol and the COVID Vaccine

There's no direct evidence that moderate alcohol consumption affects the efficacy of the COVID vaccine. Chronic heavy alcohol use can impair the immune system and potentially affect the response to vaccination. Some experts still advise against drinking alcohol—especially heavy drinking—right after receiving the booster and vaccine.

"Though there is no data on this, it is advisable to abstain or reduce alcohol intake for the first 48 to 72 hours after vaccination,"  Jagadeesh Reddy, MD, an infectious disease specialist with Providence Mission Hospital, told Health. "This is the usual period one might expect common and usually mild after-effects of vaccination, like fatigue, muscle aches, injection site pain."

Research has found that mild to moderate alcohol consumption may not affect the efficacy of other vaccines, such as the flu shot. Some evidence suggests that daily heavy alcohol consumption may increase the risk of severe reactions to vaccination, particularly in people with a weak immune system.

Can You Drink Alcohol Before a COVID Booster?

There's no guidance on drinking alcohol before getting a COVID booster or vaccine. Research on the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines did not ask trial participants to avoid alcohol. Research on the Novavax vaccine asked people with a history of alcohol use disorder (AUD) to abstain from the trial.

You may consider avoiding alcohol before getting a booster or vaccine. Drinking alcohol may cause fatigue, headache, and nausea. These symptoms may overlap with potential side effects of the booster or vaccine.

Side Effects 

You may have pain, redness, or swelling on your arm near where you received the COVID booster or vaccine. You might mistake other possible side effects for hangover symptoms if you drink alcohol after getting a booster or vaccine.

Vaccination—including the COVID and flu vaccines—may cause side effects that resemble a hangover, such as:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Tiredness

Other Precautions 

Alcohol can have pain-relieving and relaxing benefits. Experts warn against using alcohol to achieve these purposes. The dose necessary for pain relief is higher than what the CDC recommends.

A post-vaccination cocktail may seem appealing, but remember to give your body time to recover. It's generally safe to have a celebratory drink a few days after vaccination. Make sure to stay within the recommended limits of one drink per day for females and two drinks per day for males. Individual responses to alcohol vary, so it's best to be cautious..

Other steps you can take to reduce vaccination side effects include:

• Apply a cool compress to the injection site to reduce pain or swelling.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Keep your arm moving.

The CDC advises against using over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like Advil (ibuprofen), aspirin, or Tylenol (acetaminophen) before vaccination. These medications may potentially reduce the immune response. They can be used after vaccination to relieve symptoms as needed.

You may continue to use pain relievers if you regularly take them for other reasons. You can also take pain relievers to reduce side effects after getting a booster or vaccine.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

Consult a healthcare provider if you have questions about COVID boosters and vaccines, including what ones to receive and when. It's rare, but some people may have an allergic reaction to vaccinations.

Seek medical attention right away if you have an allergic reaction after receiving a booster or vaccine. Symptoms usually develop within four hours and may include:

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
• Chest pain or tightness
• Coughing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• High-pitched breathing or wheezing
• Hives
• Itchy, red skin
• Low blood pressure
• Trouble breathing

A Quick Review

No official guidelines exist on drinking alcohol after getting a COVID booster or vaccine. You may want to avoid drinking alcohol for a few days. Fatigue, headache, and nausea from drinking alcohol may mimic or worsen the side effects of vaccines.  

Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated while recovering from vaccination. Seek medical attention right away if you develop adverse side effects within four hours of receiving a booster or vaccine.

The information in this story is accurate as of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.