The vaccines protect: Nearly everyone (97 in 100) against diphtheria for approximately 10 years. Virtually everyone against tetanus for approximately 10 years.
Adults need a tetanus shot (tetanus booster) every 10 years. A booster shot is another dose of a vaccine that you get months or years after a previous dose. Providers call it a booster shot because it “boosts” your immune system again and helps your body protect you from illness.
The first two shots are given at least four weeks apart, and the third shot is given 6 to 12 months after the second shot. After the initial tetanus series, booster shots are recommended every 10 years.
Tetanus booster shots are recommended every 10 years to prevent infections. As long as you've received one dose of Tdap, boosters can be either a Tdap or Td shot. There's a catch-up schedule for adults who never received childhood tetanus shots. It's recommended the first catch-up dose be a Tdap shot.
Vaccination is recommended every 10 years for travellers to countries where health services are difficult to access. Travellers with a higher risk of a tetanus-prone wound are recommended to be vaccinated every 5 years.
(Your healthcare provider will tell you which vaccines you will need.) After that, 1 booster dose every 10 years will protect you. You will need a tetanus vaccine as soon as possible if you have a dirty cut, wound, or burn and 5 or more years have passed since your last tetanus vaccine.
If you've been partly or fully immunised, a tetanus shot is usually still recommended as a precaution if you're travelling to an area with limited medical facilities and your last dose of the vaccine was more than 10 years ago. You'll be offered another 3-in-1 teenage booster.
Persons who have completed a 3-dose primary tetanus vaccination series: If the last dose of a tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine was received less than 5 years earlier, consider them protected against tetanus. They do not require another dose of tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine as part of the current wound management.
Because immunity to diphtheria and tetanus wanes with time, boosters of Td or Tdap are needed every ten years.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends tetanus vaccines for people of all ages. Adolescents and adults receive either the Td or Tdap vaccines. These vaccines protect over 95% of people from disease for approximately 10 years.
Preteens should get one shot of Tdap between the ages of 11 and 12 years. All adults who have never received one should get a shot of Tdap. This can be given at any time, regardless of when they last got Td. This should be followed by either a Td or Tdap shot every 10 years.
Do I need a tetanus shot for a small puncture? A: It depends. If the wound is small and clean, you probably don't need a tetanus shot. However, if the wound is large or dirty, you may need a booster shot.
Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) usually covers all commercially available vaccines needed to prevent illness, including the Tdap shot. You can now get more vaccines under Part D at no cost to you. Contact your Medicare drug plan for more coverage information.
Careful cleaning of wounds, both deep and superficial, can substantially decrease the risk of tetanus.
Tetanus is a very rare disease. In the U.S., the odds of getting tetanus are approximately 1.5 per million. Since 70% of those who develop the disease fully recover, only 1 per 5 million will die.
The vaccines are given at: 8, 12 and 16 weeks – as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine. 3 years and 4 months – as part of the 4-in-1 pre-school booster. 14 years – as part of the 3-in-1 teenage booster.
Tetanus vaccination is part of the NHS vaccination programme. A full course consists of 5 doses of the tetanus vaccine. This should be enough to give you long-term protection from tetanus. But if you're not sure how many doses you've received, you may need a booster dose after an injury that breaks your skin.
If you don't remember when your last tetanus shot was, you should get a Tdap shot. You can receive a Tdap at any time, no matter when you had your last Td booster shot.
Tetanus is uncommon in Australia because of the widespread use of the tetanus vaccine. All wounds other than clean, minor cuts are considered 'tetanus prone'. If you get a wound and you haven't been immunised for tetanus in the last five years, visit your doctor as soon as possible.
Tetanus shots are available from a range of places, including doctors' surgeries and pharmacies.
The tetanus bacteria can infect a person even through a tiny scratch. But you're more likely to get tetanus through deep punctures from wounds created by nails or knives. The bacteria travel via blood or nerves to the central nervous system.
A tetanus infection can lead to serious health problems such as being unable to open the mouth, trouble breathing, and muscle spasms. Tetanus does not spread from person to person. The spores of tetanus bacteria live in soil, dust, and manure.
Seek medical care in the following cases: You've not had a tetanus shot within 10 years. You are unsure of when you last had a tetanus shot. You have a puncture wound, a foreign object in your wound, an animal bite or a deep cut.