To get a tetanus shot after cutting myself with rusty metal?

[hhhhhhhhi]

The cut is very shallow. I can't really remember when I last had a booster. Should I get one just in case? I was thinking I could just get one from a travel clinic but I just phoned my local pharmacy (who do travel vaccines) and they said I had to go through my GP/A&E so they can assess the wound. I was reading if you do get one it should be within 48 hours so should I just try a different travel clinic? Is it the same booster offered? Or can it wait until my GP is back open on Monday which will be more than 48 hours later?

Then was your last?

Call 111 and follow their advice

Tetanus shots are vaccines. If you had them while at school you should be lifetime protected. However if you are concerned you weren’t vaccinated properly then you should call 111 for advice. Check the nhs website.

i was given the tetanus injection several years ago as there was still debris in my wound. They said had it have been shallower or thoroughly cleaned they would have. MIU can see you if necessary

Yes you probably should, go via A&E/minor injuries, if you call 111 first they may be able to make you a out of hours GP appointment to save waiting in A&E.
You could also try a pharmacy to see if they do that.
You don’t want to mess around with tetanus really

They aren't lifelong, you need regular boosters

Yes they are a vaccine but immunity can wear off as adults, depending how long ago you had your last one.
This is why a tetanus booster is given to adults in some cases, just in case.
Tetanus is a very serious disease and better safe than sorry

Adults and travelers are recommended to get a booster dose every 10 years to maintain maximum immunity. DH and I pay one every 10th years to avoid a situation like this.

If you suffer a dirty or deep wound medical guidelines suggest getting a booster if your last shot was more than 5 years ago.

Or that was what we were told in nurse training.

It's not dirty or deep but I think my last shot was probably more than 5 years ago because I don't remember getting one recently at all!

I called up my drs when I had a dog bite. They told me to come in the next day for a tetanus shot. Mine had expired 20 years before. Just give them a ring.

I would be that worried then.

If the wound was shallow, no blood restriction, well cleaned, tetanus cannot reproduce in the presence of oxygen. The tetanus vaccine is a multi vaccine and the booster is the same, it takes 2 weeks to develop antibodies so giving after potential exposure is not effective. If tetanus is suspected, immunoglobulin is given instead.

Unless it was a deep puncture wounds, that did not bleed, there was anerobic activity around what you touched, ie rotting manure in soil, and you fall into a risk category of being a burns victim, have compromised blood flow (advances diabetes impacting extremeties) or have very low immune system, tetanus is an unlikely outcome.

When tetanus booster is given after injury, it is given to prevent future risks... not the present injury.

When a mouse my DM tried to rescue bit her the doctor told her to go for a tetanus jab.

See second sentence of the OP.

Thanks everyone! I called 111 who told me to go to my local pharmacist so they could take a look. They just so happened to offer travel vaccines as well and said I could have a tetanus combined booster if I was worried so I did! They said the vaccine they offered was the same one given by GPs. Probably overkill but I'd rather err on the safe side.

I got one from the Pharmacist when I cut myself on a rusty old gas BBQ.

I'd been asking dh to move it to the front for scrap metal for about 10 years and he kept finding excuses.... It took me 15 minutes to get the injection and return and already the BBQ had gone!

I like to keep my tetanus up to date because I travel a lot. 10 years is the recommendation for a booster, you are not protected for life if you get one as a kid, not sure how anyone could think that.

I believe they last for 10 years. I had to push quite hard to get a booster. At the time I was using a lot of manure and digging around. I’m surprised the number of deaths is so low as many people don’t seem to have heard of tetanus and don’t realise they’ve been vaccinated