I had a tetanus shot last year. I had a minor mishap. Do I need another tetanus shot now?

Question

Hello doctor,

I had a tetanus shot last year around June. I had another minor mishap on the road with a small injury (cleaned with antiseptic). Do I need another tetanus shot now?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The last year's dose is not going to give you any protection now.

If any one of the following has happened during the injury, you will need tetanus followup:

Injury due to any rusted metallic object.
Abrasion due to contact with the ground or the road.
Contact with any kind of mud during the time of occurrence of injury.

I advise you to take the tetanus injection (tetanus toxoid vaccine) as soon as possible.

Even though the application of antiseptic negates the chances of acquiring an infection to a large extent, it is better to have the shot for safety purpose.

You should ideally take tetanus injection within 24 hours, as it will not have any protective effect when taken beyond that period.