Lab Testing after Sickness or Vaccination

If you’ve recently been sick or received a routine vaccination, it may be best to wait before completing your lab test. Both illness and immunizations can temporarily affect certain biomarkers.

When to consider waiting

• If you’ve had a recent infection (cold, flu, etc.), inflammation markers and immune-related biomarkers may be elevated for 1 to 2 weeks after recovery.
• If you’ve received a vaccination, your immune response may cause temporary changes in inflammation markers (such as hs-CRP), white blood cell counts, and other lab results.

Best practice

To get the most accurate baseline results, consider waiting at least 1 to 2 weeks after recovering from an illness or receiving a vaccination before completing your lab test. This allows your body to return to its normal state so your results reflect your typical health status.