Rabies vaccination guide

① As long as there is skin breakage/bleeding, even if it is scratched by a domestic pet, priority vaccination is recommended; ② After full standard vaccination, there is no need to re-vacculate if exposed again within half a year, 2 injections in half a year to 1 year, 3 injections in 1-3 years, and full re-vaccination after more than 3 years; 3. Pregnant women, lactating women, the elderly, and young children can be vaccinated. The existing rabies vaccine is non-teratogenic, and most people will only experience minor adverse reactions such as soreness and mild fever at the vaccination site, which will not affect health.

Last week, when I was helping a friend get a flu vaccine from the prevention department of a community hospital, I bumped into a little girl who had just entered junior high school. She was squatting in the corridor crying with a kitten she had just picked up from downstairs. She had three shallow, non-bleeding scratches on her wrist. She was afraid of the pain of the injection and was afraid of contracting rabies. She hesitated for almost half an hour and did not dare to go in and ask. In fact, many people are confused when encountering this kind of situation. They either don't take it seriously and just disinfect it and collapse, or they are so nervous that even seven or eight injections are not enough, which is really unnecessary.

In fact, the exposure classification standards set by the disease control department are very easy to understand, and there is no need to guess. If the animal just licked your intact skin without even leaving a red mark, just rinse it with soap for two minutes and there will be no problem. If your skin is scratched with red marks, broken skin even if there is no bleeding, or you have a small wound that was licked by an animal, this has reached the level that requires vaccination. If the wound bleeds or is scratched or bitten by a wild animal such as a bat, in addition to vaccination, immune globulin must be administered around the wound to minimize the risk.

Speaking of which, we cannot avoid the "ten-day observation method" that everyone has been arguing about for many years. There are currently two mainstream views. One is the suggestion of many domestic clinicians: the overall immunization coverage rate of pet rabies vaccines in our country has not yet reached the 70% safety line. Especially stray animals and free-range cats and dogs are not sure whether they are carrying the virus. Therefore, it is recommended to give the first injection first and observe the status of the offending animal. If it is alive and kicking without getting sick within 10 days, the remaining injections can be omitted without delay on both sides. The other is the official guidance of the WHO: If the offending animal is a domestic pet that has been vaccinated against rabies for more than two consecutive years, has never been free-range, and has never been in contact with stray animals, it can be observed first and there is no need to rush to vaccinate. Both statements are correct, and you can choose based on the actual situation - I have three cats at home, and they are vaccinated against rabies every year. They were scratched several times in the past two years, and during the six-month protection period after the full vaccination, I just rinsed them with soapy water for five minutes and disinfected them, and it was fine; but if it was caught by a stray cat on the roadside, you can't catch it and observe it for 10 days, so don't gamble and just go for the vaccination.

Many people come for injections with a list of taboos found online, asking whether they can’t eat spicy food, drink alcohol, drink coffee, or exercise. To be honest, the current rabies vaccine technology has been upgraded for several generations. These things will not affect the production of antibodies at all, so there is no need to specially avoid foods. If you have a stomachache after eating spicy food or a headache after drinking alcohol, then you can do it less during the days of vaccination. You can eat whatever you like, and you don’t have to lie in bed to rest every day. You can go to work or take a walk every day. Just don’t do extreme sports like running a marathon.

There is another piece of trivia that many people don’t know: not only cats and dogs can carry rabies virus, but wild mammals such as bats, weasels, foxes, and raccoons are also at high risk. If you are bitten by them, don’t hesitate to fight them. On the other hand, small rodents such as hamsters and chinchillas, as well as rabbits and birds, basically do not carry rabies virus. If they are caught, they can be disinfected without getting injected.

Two months ago, a pregnant mother who was 3 months pregnant came for consultation. She was bitten by her own dog. She was worried that the vaccine would affect her child, so she struggled all night. In fact, domestic and foreign disease control guidelines clearly state that the rabies vaccine is an inactivated vaccine and will not affect the fetus. She later completed the vaccination according to the procedure, and everything was normal during her prenatal checkup last month, so there is no need for such unnecessary worries. Don't really believe the rumors that "rabies vaccination can damage the brain and affect the fetus". At least I have been in the prevention department for so long and I have never seen such an extreme case.

After all, the core of the rabies vaccine is "don't gamble, don't panic." If you are really unsure, go to the prevention department of a community hospital near your home and ask. The doctor can make a clear decision for you in a minute or two, which is much more reliable than searching for conflicting information on the Internet for half a day at home. After all, although the mortality rate of rabies is 100%, as long as it is handled properly, it is almost 100% preventable. It is not a mistake to make fun of your own safety just to save a few hundred dollars or for fear of pain.