The Douglas County Health Department is recommending people involved in cleaning up debris from Friday’s storm make sure they have had a tetanus vaccination in the last 10 years.
Health Director Dr. Adi Pour says created high-risk conditions for tetanus. Tetanus bacteria usually are found in the soil and dust. "People who are working on the cleanup should make sure their tetanus vaccination is current.”
Anyone who suffers an open wound, laceration or deep puncture wound should contact their doctor, Dr. Pour says. Tetanus usually requires hospitalization, and death occurs in about three of 10 cases.
The disease also is known as lockjaw, and a booster shot is required every 10 years. Symptoms include painful spasms and tightening of the muscles. Those spasms can lead to the locking of the jaw so a person can’t swallow or breathe.
The Health Department recommends five doses of a vaccine that combines diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis by age six. That should be followed by a booster shot every 10 years. “Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable disease,” Dr. Pour said. “Tetanus bacteria exist in our daily environment, so keeping your vaccinations current benefits everyone.”