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Women advised to delay mammogram after vaccine

The Society of Breast Imaging has issued new guidance for women who have recently received the COVID-19 vaccine. After getting the Johnson and Johnson version, or the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna options, it is recommended that you avoid mammograms for four to six weeks.

Western UP Health Department’s Dr. Robert Van Howe explains what is driving the advice.

You can get a swelling of the lymph nodes in the area, and some of the lymph nodes in the area are the same lymph nodes that drain the breast tissue. If they’re swollen and they do a mammogram, they’ll see the lymph nodes are swollen, but they won’t know if it’s from the COVID or something related to the breast tissue.

He says for women who are on a regular screening regime, track which arm you got the shot in and ask to have the opposite breast imaged. Van Howe says the delay is not expected to have any health complications.

That much of a delay probably won’t make that much of a difference.

Van Howe analogized the area’s current COVID-19 scenario to a marathoner reaching the 25th mile. He says light is at the end of the tunnel, and asks Copper Country residents to continue taking proper precautions.

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