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Tetanus booster - do you have yours up to date??

By
Home Inspector with Clayton Inspection Service, Inc.

Recently my wife was bitten by a dog and we had to visit the local emergency room. While they were taking care of her wound, they asked her when she last had a tetanus booster. She wasn't sure, but it was probably over 5 years ago. They gave her one.

Several years ago, I was inspecting a house for a client that was a Doctor. While we were crawling under the house (yes he came with me) he made a comment about he was sure that I was up to date with my tetanus shots. I said that I couldn't remember when I had my last one, but it was a while ago.

After the 15 minute lecture he gave me, I decided to drive to the Health Dept and get one THAT DAY. He told me that there are about 100 cases of tetanus in the US each year, and about 5 deaths. We are very lucky in the US, because in the rest of the world there are close to a million cases and 300 - 500 thousand deaths each year.

I know I get cuts and scrapes all the time doing inspections. Thats why I'm always up to date on my tetanus boosters. You should be too!

We should take care of ourselves!

 

x Bye Bye
x - Bay Minette, AL
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Jack - Good advice, I seem to recieve cuts also everytime I enter a crawlspace and in Georgia there are a lot of crawlspaces.  And I am up-to-date. 

If you need a booster shot do not wait.

Oct 27, 2008 05:29 AM
Jack Feldmann
Clayton Inspection Service, Inc. - Knoxville, TN

I forgot to add one important thing. They now say you should have a booster every 7 years, not 10 like it used to be.

Oct 27, 2008 05:32 AM
Hank Spinnler
Harmony Home Inspection Services of GA - Hoschton, GA
Atlanta Home Inspector

Thanks for the good advice, Jack.  Hope your wife healed quickly.

This past summer, I attempted to use my hand to hammer a difficult cover back on a furnace and my hand struck a sharp edge.  I had to get stitches and a tetanus that day. 

Oct 27, 2008 07:44 AM