Alcohol Reduces Immune Response to COVID-19 Vaccine

In December 2020, a Russian expert warned people taking the jab of the Sputnik V to avoid alcohol for at least two months to ensure a strong immune response to the COVID vaccine. But developers of the Sputnik V contradicted this warning and said that a glass or two of alcohol would not affect the immune system.

The warning was also met with animosity from the Russians who are known to love alcoholic beverages. More so, this announcement has caught the attention of many people around the world and are now also asking the same question whether they should avoid drinking alcohol or not.

Drinking Alcohol Reduces COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness

Experts from the United Kingdom have recently issued the same warning from the Russian expert to avoid drinking alcohol around the time of receiving the jab because it could affect the body's immune response to COVID vaccines. For many, especially alcoholics, this is sobering news.

Experts said that drinking alcohol reduces the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. In a BBC documentary set to air on Wednesday, January 6, medics have evaluated the changes caused by drinking alcohol to the immune system and found that even three glasses of Prosecco halved the number of white blood cells.

Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells, are crucial in creating antibodies that will attack foreign bodies like viruses.

University of Manchester professor Sheena Cruickshank said that for the vaccines to work, the body must have a working immune system, and drinking alcohol the night before or shortly after receiving a jab is not going to help.

She advised people to avoid drinking alcohol in the days around getting vaccinated, New York Post reported.

Lymphocytes and its Role in the Immune System

According to the website Cleveland Clinic, lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the body's immune system. It helps fight off infection to protect the body. But many underlying medical conditions can also cause lymphocytosis.

On the other hand, high levels of lymphocytes in the blood could indicate that the immune system is working to fight the infection of an inflammatory condition. Most of the time, the high levels of lymphocytes could be temporary but elevated lymphocytes could also because of a serious condition, like leukemia.

Moreover, lymphocytes are made in the bone marrow and found in the blood and lymph nodes. It makes up a total of 20% to 40% of white blood cells in adults. They are mostly concentrated in lymphoid organs and tissues, such as the spleen, lymph nodes, and tonsils where initial immune response usually happens.

In the context of today's pandemic, a team of scientists in Wuhan, China said that lymphocytes are of fundamental importance because they determine the immune response of the person the infectious microorganisms and foreign bodies, such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus.