Your Personal Vaccine Efficiency Could Be Impacted by Social Distancing and Lockdowns
What you can do to increase your chances for protection against covid-19
Finally, the covid-19 vaccination rollout begins, and many people get the long-awaited shot. At the moment, vaccines are our best chance to end this pandemic and for our lives to go back to pre-pandemic normality. But some measures to prevent the spread of the virus-like social distancing and lockdowns of entire countries- might impact the efficiency of the vaccination in some individuals.
Even if the approved vaccines are between 70 and 90% effective in preventing severe covid-19, one person out of 20 will still get infected with the virus. Yet you can improve your chances for successful protection by considering a few simple things around the days of your shot.
Researchers have studied factors influencing flu or hepatitis vaccine efficiency in the last decades, and these factors- even if not specifically tested for a coronavirus vaccine- might modulate covid-19 protection.
One way to measure if vaccination is effective, meaning if you are immunized against the disease, is to look at the antibody response. Antibodies are a part of our immune system, which help to neutralize viruses and fight off infections. High antibody concentrations are a marker for efficient immunization and are thought to protect from getting severely ill with covid-19.
It is also tempting to speculate that an enhanced antibody response will give you a better chance to fight off SARS-COV2 mutant strains. At least in a laboratory, antibodies from vaccinated people could bind and neutralize the mutant viruses.
So, here is what you should consider around the time you get your vaccination.
Avoid stress and privilege social interactions.
In a recent article in New Scientist, the author Helen Thompson interviewed Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, the director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University, who says, “We know so much about how stress affects vaccine response, I’d be surprised if it didn’t apply to covid-19”.
Already 30 years ago, she showed that confident, relaxed students, compared to highly stressed students, showed a better Hepatitis B antibody response after vaccination.
Another study with the influenza vaccine obtained similar results. Elevated stress levels, especially ten days after the vaccination, led to decreased antibody production. Hormones- like Adrenaline and Cortisol- secreted during stressful periods might be responsible for impairing the immune system.
All the more reason to make a conscious effort to slow down during these difficult times. Try as much as possible to empty your schedule, relax and do things you enjoy.
But unfortunately, not everyone has the option to lower their stress levels. Many people find themselves under enormous pressure to juggle childcare, work from home, and miss friends and family. If you can’t control your workload, it is essential to do something that makes you happy.
A positive mood was linked to a good response after the influenza vaccination. It goes as far as being in a positive mood when you are vaccinated enhances the flu vaccination efficiency.
Similarly, feeling and missing friends and family were found to do the opposite.
So get in touch with your loved ones, even if only online or via the phone. If you know someone who is getting vaccinated soon, you could give them a call, send a message or write them a postcard to make sure they know they are not alone.
Get more than seven hours of sleep.
Janice Kiecolt-Glaser further mentioned a not yet published study where participants responded with lower antibody concentrations if they slept poorly several consecutive nights before a hepatitis-A vaccination. Two nights before the vaccination seemed to be the most important time to get a good night of rest.
Considering the profound effect sleep has on our productiveness and wellbeing, it is not surprising that our immune system also relies on it to function well.
Lower your alcohol consumption.
Anna Popova, the head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, advised Russians to avoid alcohol two weeks before and three weeks after the Sputnik V vaccination.
There is no doubt that heavy alcohol consumption, such as binge drinking, negatively affects the immune system. If the body is occupied with alcohol detoxification, our immune system has to stand back.
Yet, most doctors think it is unlikely that moderate drinking, like a glass of wine or beer, will harm immunization. It certainly will not hurt to entirely avoid alcohol around the vaccination to be on the safe side.
Move and exercise.
Physically active seniors were found to respond better to the flu vaccination.
In general, exercise leads to a cytokine (special signaling proteins) release, which activates the immune system and boosts antibody production. Weight lifting or physical strength workouts, the kind of workouts leading to muscle soreness- which are thought to be small muscle injuries, might be especially capable of activating the immune system by activating repair mechanisms.
Further, the undoubtedly positive effect of exercise on our mood and general wellbeing could have the most profound effect on our antibody response.
Your mental and physical wellbeing can influence your overall health and your response to the covid-19 vaccine.
We should not underestimate the profound effect of a good mood, a sound night of sleep, and a calming walk in the fresh air can have on our immune system.
If you have the privilege to get the vaccine at the moment, value it and make the most of it.
