Fact Check: Can women take COVID-19 vaccine 5 days before and after menstrual cycle?

Team Udayavani, Apr 25, 2021, 12:25 PM IST

Recently, a social media post claimed that women should not take the COVID-19 vaccine five days before and after their menstrual cycle. The post claimed that vaccines should not be taken as “immunity is very less” during that time.

However,the Centre on Saturday dismissed the post as “fake. PIB in a tweet said, “Fake post circulating on social media claims that women should not take #COVID19Vaccine 5 days before and after their menstrual cycle. Don’t fall for rumours! All people above 18 should get vaccinated after May 1. Registration starts on April 28 on cowin.gov.in”

#Fake post circulating on social media claims that women should not take #COVID19Vaccine 5 days before and after their menstrual cycle.

Don’t fall for rumours!

All people above 18 should get vaccinated after May 1. Registration starts on April 28 on https://t.co/61Oox5pH7x pic.twitter.com/JMxoxnEFsy

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 24, 2021

Several doctors also took to Twitter and other social media platforms to debunk this claim and appealed to everyone to get vaccinated soon.

I got both my doses when I had my periods. I got covid later on because I work in a hospital but recovered without side effects within a week all thanks to he vaccine. PLEASE GET VACCINATED, there will be very mild side effects BUT IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE. https://t.co/XqZCM0Ob0k

— Wear your mask (@vakeel_saheba) April 24, 2021

A lot of patients messaging me asking if it’s safe/ effective to take the vaccine during their period. Some silly WhatsApp rumour has spooked everyone.

Your period has no effect on the vaccine efficacy.

Take it as soon as you can.

Spread the word, please.

— Dr. Munjaal V. Kapadia (@ScissorTongue) April 24, 2021

The central government earlier this week announced that everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 from May 1

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 for healthcare workers, which further extended to frontline workers from February 2 onwards.

The second phase was initiated from March 1 to vaccinate people above 45 years of age who account for more than 80 percent of COVID-19 mortality in the country. The next phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive for citizens above 45 years of age began on April 1.