Tetanus Jabs ???

[Ross365]

I have been working under the impression that these jabs need boosting every ten years or following a "dirty" injury.
I phoned up my GP today and the receptionist confirmed that it's over 10 years since I last had a shot. She then went on to say that GP's don't do them any more - you have get them done privately. As this point, I think I went it to "full assertiveness mode" and she responded by saying she would have a doctor phone me back.

He came up with an alternative scenario, and in this one, the 10 year booster shots are no longer considered necessary and are not given, citing Chapter 30 (immunisations) of some NHS handbook.

Anyone have any insights on this?

 

[Barking Mat]

Every ten years in my book, yep, quick skim through the internet confirms this. With the exception of a nasty deep cut.

I think you've been 'fobbed off with an excuse'.

 

[Pete.]

I was told that my previous 3 jabs mean that I no longer need any boosters.

 

[jerrytug]

Tetanus still exists in the environment, it's not a disease which can be eradicated like polio. It is still very bad to contract it. The same vaccine still works effectively to prevent it.
It may be the case that the NHS don't automatically give you a booster if you get a dirty cut. It may be the case that your doctor (who is a business) doesn't make enough profit from the cheap generic jab.
Dirty cuts are rarer among the general population than they used to be, because kids play indoors on computer games, not outdoors on bombsites. Obviously this doesn't apply to many of us on here.
I would get a second opinion, if it was me. Interesting Q.
I agree with the phrase 'fobbed off'.

 

[pedrobedro]

I had one last year when I got bitten by a dog. I was expecting the old style injection but it was just a small injection in the top of the arm like the flu jab. Previously I used to go in with a cut and come out with a limp

 

[My Old Landy]

When I got blood poisoning two years ago from a gardening cut, they checked my records and found it was thirty years since my last jab! I had to go back and have one once the antibiotics had cleared my system.

 

[Ross365]

The Greenbook Chapter 30, which the GP referred to can be found here. Clear as mud, mainly about kids and dirty injuries.

This remark is sooo true "It may be the case that your doctor (who is a business) doesn't make enough profit from the cheap generic jab."

 

[Wozzaaah]

I was told that my previous 3 jabs mean that I no longer need any boosters.

After my last one I was also told that after a certain number you don't need any others for the rest of your life.

 

[MCKDAVID]

After my last one I was also told that after a certain number you don't need any others for the rest of your life.

+1

 

[Barking Mat]

If a person attends for a routine booster dose and has a history of receiving a vaccine
following a tetanus-prone wound, attempts should be made to identify which vaccine was
given. If the vaccine given at the time of the injury was the same as that due at the current
visit and was given after an appropriate interval, then the routine booster dose is not
required. Otherwise, the dose given at the time of injury should be discounted as it may
not provide long-term protection against all antigens, and the scheduled immunisation
should be given. Such additional doses are unlikely to produce an unacceptable rate of
reactions (Ramsay et al., 1997)

There you go.

 

[Ross365]

It looks like getting one in a chemists is £50. Ramsay (from Chapter 30), seems less than clear to me; read it either way?

 

[Barking Mat]

Next time you cut yourself hit A&E.

I can't find any mention of the above recommendations in the Lancet.

 

[skotl]

I got one just over ten years ago when I moved into this house and started cutting back gorse, bracken and all sorts of sharp stuff.

Must admit that I almost had to demand/beg for it - the doctor didn't seem to comprehend that I'd want one (age 44 at the time). I had expected to go along this year, or most likely next (post-covid), and get a booster but from the above I suspect that's not going to happen.

 

[johnik]

Thanks for the reminder, seems i have had 5 boosters so far and my next one due in 2023...i must be getting old

 

[Ali]

I stepped on a rusty nail in Glasgow last year and had to have one. In the bum. (Not sure if that’s standard or if they were just picking on me for being English.)

 

[Agroshield]

It looks like getting one in a chemists is £50.

Do you have any kind of health scheme through your employer or any other kind of insurance/trade union scheme that might fund it?

 

[jerrytug]

I stepped on a rusty nail in Glasgow last year and had to have one. In the bum. (Not sure if that’s standard or if they were just picking on me for being English.)

Most of their patients wear kilts so it's SOP.

 

[pressbrake1]

Tetanus still exists in the environment, it's not a disease which can be eradicated like polio. It is still very bad to contract it. The same vaccine still works effectively to prevent it.
It may be the case that the NHS don't automatically give you a booster if you get a dirty cut. It may be the case that your doctor (who is a business) doesn't make enough profit from the cheap generic jab.
Dirty cuts are rarer among the general population than they used to be, because kids play indoors on computer games, not outdoors on bombsites. Obviously this doesn't apply to many of us on here.
I would get a second opinion, if it was me. Interesting Q.
I agree with the phrase 'fobbed off'.

Gp’s drive better cars than hospital doctors for a reason, even though they all seem clueless

 

[Gragson]

Mate was an intensive care nurse, it was a while back but he had a case of a woman that never had the jab and died within 8 hours of admission, they couldn't stabilise anything, explosive diarrhea the lot.
Iv'e not had a booster since first, 40 odd years ago - good reminder, call to docs tomorrow !

 

[m_c]

After my last one I was also told that after a certain number you don't need any others for the rest of your life.

This was my understanding, with the number being 5.
I've had all 5, and despite having been on anti-biotics for cellulitis after a bit steel shrapnel hit me, my GP never mentioned anything about needing another tetanus booster, despite my last booster being well over 10 years previously.

The every 10 years thing, hasn't been common practise for a long time now.