Can You Take Any Medication Before The COVID-19 Vaccine?

As more and more people are eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19, you may be hearing information about what to do the day of your actual vaccine.

The day of your vaccine, you're asked to remember to bring proof of appointment and any documents required by your specific state guidelines, and arrive hydrated and well-rested. But what about taking medications?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised against taking antihistamines, ibuprofen, Tylenol, aspirin, or other over-the-counter pain medications ahead of your vaccine as a precursor to any aches or pains you may experience as a side effect. This is due to a lack of information of how these medications, if taken ahead of the vaccination, would affect how well the vaccine works.

You can take these medications after being vaccinated if you are experiencing side effects, or if taking these over-the-counter medications are a part of your daily health routine (via CDC).

However, you should still take any medications that you take on a daily basis the day of your COVID-19 vaccine (via Best Life). You also shouldn't avoid or delay medications for underlying medical conditions around your vaccination time. The exception to this is avoiding steroid injections for two weeks until after your vaccination, unless the situation is described as critical.

If you want to keep your normal medication routine despite your vaccination schedule, there's no need to worry, as the studies for the vaccines included those taking medication for common conditions like asthma, blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. Those individuals responded well to the vaccine.

To sum it up, the general rule is that you can take any medication you regularly take on a daily basis the day of your COVID-19 vaccination. If you have any questions about your specific medication situation, reach out to your health team to discuss possible concerns.