The race to get vaccinated is as real as it gets as people from all over the world are doing what they can in order to be included in the priority list for vaccination. If you are among those who are scheduled for vaccination soon, then there are some things that you must not forget before and after a jab.

Get vaccinated even if you already recovered from COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that even if you already fought with COVID-19 and have won, you still need to get vaccinated. Unlike other diseases where once you have recovered from it, you will not get infected anymore, it is different with COVID-19 as reinfection is always possible. Check with your doctor first because the CDC has advised that you have to wait for 90 days after treatment if you were given convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies during coronavirus treatment.

Do not get a shot if you are still dealing with COVID-19.

If you are positive or you have been exposed to a COVID-19 patient, you must not go to a vaccination site. Dr. Michael Ison of the Infectious Diseases and Organ Transplantation division of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine stated that you must wait for the symptoms to disappear and for the isolation period to pass. What is being avoided is to prevent those waiting in line to get sick, as well as the staff administering the vaccines.

For long haulers: Get a shot if you still have COVID-19 symptoms months later.

Long-haulers are those who already had COVID-19 but still suffer from a host of symptoms months after infection. Dr. Peter Hotez, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine said in CNN that the symptoms experienced by long-haulers are not because of the virus infection, but because of prolonged inflammatory response.

Do tell vaccine staff of any allergies or a history of one.

Make sure that you relay to the person giving you the shot any allergy history. Reactions have been seen from a number of patients who have received the vaccine. This is why the CDC requires those who receive the vaccine to wait for 15 minutes near the vaccination site before leaving. The 15-minutes are crucial since it was observed by experts as the time that an allergic reaction to the vaccine usually occurs after inoculation. For those who had a serious allergy history, a 30-minute waiting time before driving away from the vaccination site will be required.

Vaccination do's and dont's Vaccination do's and dont's
Things to remember before and after a COVID-19 jab. Photo: Pixabay

Get the second shot within the time frame recommended by experts.

Hotez explained that the second vaccine shot is very important since this would ensure that you have ample protection. According to Hotez, the second dose is crucial in order to get everyone to respond. The CDC noted that Pfizer-BioNTech would require 21 days between the first and second dose, while it is 28 days for Moderna. Also, make sure that you do not get the second dose early, but there is no issue if you get the second dose a few days later after the due date.

Aside from the above reminders, wearing masks must be continued. This goes for those who have already been vaccinated, as well as for those who have not yet received theirs.