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The Tetanus Vaccine – All You Should Know

Tetanus is a near-fatal infection caused by the clostridium tetani bacteria. Four kinds of vaccines have been developed to protect against this bacterium. The DT and Td vaccines protect against diphtheria and tetanus, and DtaP and Tdap vaccines prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

Children younger than 7 are usually recommended the DTaP or DT vaccinations, while older people are administered Td and Tdap to keep tetanus at bay. Since there is no cure for the disease, vaccinations are advised to immunize oneself beforehand as a precautionary measure.

Who should get a tetanus vaccine?

Children, teenagers, and adults definitely require the tetanus vaccine. Generally, a childhood immunization schedule of five doses is prescribed.

The first three doses of DTap or DT should be given during infancy. A tetanus toxoid containing a booster should follow by the age of 4 - 7, with another some time in adolescence, i.e., between 12 and 15. Individuals who’ve been administered the primary doses of tetanus followed by the two booster shots will not require any further vaccinations.

Adults need a Td vaccine booster shot every 10 years. This frequency must increase if they happen to sustain a deep cut or burn that's susceptible to an infection. In case they weren’t administered the Tdap vaccine as a kid, they will need one to protect themselves against a whooping cough.

In addition, pregnant women require a Tdap vaccine shot in the third trimester of their pregnancy.

What kind of Tetanus shot should I get?

If you’ve sustained an injury and need to get a Tetanus shot, the kind that will be administered depends on the nature of your injury and your history of previous immunizations. You may get a booster shot, but this isn’t necessary if the last dose of the primary batch was given to you within 5 years of being subject to a dirty wound, or within 10 years from a clean wound.

How is the Tetanus vaccine administered?

The Tetanus vaccine is injected into our upper arm or upper thigh muscle by a licensed medical professional and is administered to healthy individuals. If you are currently suffering from an illness, it is recommended to wait until you’ve recovered from the same to get the vaccine shot.

Are there are any side-effects?

The Tetanus injection may spur on its patients to develop nausea, exhaustion, pain, swelling, muscle ache, joint ache, and even fever. Your doctor may advise acetaminophen to deal with these. The medication should be enough to tackle any of these minor side-effects, which are temporary and nothing to worry about.

An important vaccine

Tetanus is a rare disease, but it can be deadly once it develops. One should never take chances and get themselves vaccinated against this as soon as possible.

Phoenix Family Medical Centre offers an exhaustive list of vaccinations and immunizations to safeguard your health and wellbeing, and tetanus is one among them. Simply walk into the clinic or call to set up an appointment to get your tetanus booster shot now!