What you need to know about the tetanus vaccination shortage

Dr. William SchaffnerAn infectious disease professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville told Healthline that one reason for the TD vaccine shortage is that the market for it no longer exists. He said the Tdap vaccine is the recommended tetanus vaccine.

“I'm a little concerned about the language used when talking about shortages because there is no shortage in Tdap,” Schaffner said. “From a public health perspective, Tdap is abundant and there is no real concern. [we] We need to convince the few providers who still use Td to use Tdap instead. ”

Tdap is recommended as a tetanus vaccination because it contains the following ingredients: [acellular] Protects against whooping cough.

“This is the vaccination where the effectiveness of the vaccination starts to wane quite significantly,” he said. “That's why we like to use it in these situations because it also provides protection against whooping cough. We want to reduce whooping cough as much as possible.”

Although infants are most at risk of severe illness and death from whooping cough, Schaffner said the disease can affect people of all ages, whether they are unvaccinated or have a weakened immune system. .

“This is a historic disease,” he said. “That's why we vaccinate widely. This is why we vaccinate children as early as possible, from two months of age, and ensure that everyone who comes into contact with newborns has up-to-date Tdap. This is why it is recommended to obtain . vaccination Adults, older siblings, and other children can introduce germs to your child. Bordetella pertussis For toddlers. ”

Tetanus is Bacterial infection It affects the nervous system and muscles, especially the neck and jaw. However, with the help of vaccines, tetanus has been virtually eradicated.

CDC recommends tetanus vaccination for everyone every 10 years This is because these vaccinations do not provide lifelong immunity.

Three types of tetanus shots are used in the United States to protect against tetanus and other infections, but only the whooping cough vaccine protects against whooping cough.

• DTap vaccine: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough
• Tap: Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough
• Td vaccine: Tetanus and diphtheria

Infants and children under 7 years of age receive DTap injections, while older children and adults receive Tdap and Td.

Common side effects of tetanus injections include pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site. Some people may develop a rash.

In rare cases, tetanus shots, including whooping cough, can cause serious symptoms. allergic reactionlike anaphylaxis. People who are allergic to vaccines containing whooping cough should continue to receive only the Td vaccine.

Schaffner explained that different tetanus shots are effective in different ways, but all are effective at preventing tetanus.

Dr. Schaffner said in an interview with Healthline during a two-day meeting with the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that the tetanus shot has been “remarkably successful” in eliminating tetanus. diphtheria in the united states

“Vaccines have the ability to almost completely eliminate disease,” he says. “For tetanus, this is unusual because the bacteria that causes tetanus has not disappeared; it is present in the soil around us and is environmentally constant. . So what we've done is protect the entire population if we encounter this bacterium,” Schaffner said.

The CDC has issued new guidance for health care workers on administering tetanus shots in preparation for future shortages.

The federal agency says doctors should use the Tdap vaccine instead of the Td vaccine, and the latter should only be used in high-risk patients with pertussis allergies.

Tetanus vaccination is recommended every 10 years to prevent serious bacterial infections and whooping cough.

If you can't remember the last time you got a tetanus shot, talk to your doctor.