Obesity, alcohol consumption can lower effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines

Health experts say several other factors, including obesity, alcohol consumption, may lower the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines.

If you're obese, getting Covid-19 shots might not provide you full protection from the disease. According to a report on Nature, obesity may reduce the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines. Vaccines often don't work well in obese people, noted the authors, suggesting that a Covid-19 shot might not provide the expected protection in these people.

Several studies have identified obesity as a prominent risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection. In fact, a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine in August 2020 suggested extreme obesity as an independent risk factor for dying among COVID-19 patients, particularly among younger and middle-aged men.

Besides obesity, there are several other factors that may lower the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines. A study, which was recently published in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, suggested that depression, stress, loneliness and poor health behaviours can weaken the body's immunity and reduce Covid-19 vaccine's efficacy.

Covid-19 vaccines may also not be fully effective in people with severe health conditions like liver disease, kidney disease, uncontrolled diabetes or with immunosuppressed conditions like cancer as well as people on steroids. The conditions can influence the immune system's response to the vaccine, Jyoti Mutta, Senior Consultant, Microbiology, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi, told IANS.

Mutta also recommended avoiding alcohol consumption during Covid-19 vaccination as it may lower the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Alexander Gintsburg, the developer of Sputnik V vaccine, suggests refraining from alcohol for three days after getting each shot of the vaccine. Most Covid-19 vaccines require two doses. Both Serum Institute's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin the vaccines approved for emergency use in India require two doses, given 28 days apart.

Experts also suggest avoiding other unhealthy activities like smoking and sleepless nights to get maximum benefit of any vaccine.

India began the nationwide the Covid-19 vaccination drive on January 16. As of Tuesday (Day 4 of the vaccination drive), a total of 4,54,049 first beneficiaries have been inoculated across the country, according to the Union Health Ministry. So far, 580 adverse events have been reported so far, out of which seven required hospitalisation, the Ministry said on Tuesday.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has also clarified that deaths of two men in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka following vaccination were not related to the Covdi-19 vaccine.

The adverse events following immunisation reported in India are the lowest in the world, Bhushan added in a bid to allay fears and vaccine hesitancy.

With agency inputs