If you get pricked by a nail or splinter, or if a wound gets dirty with soil, treat it the same day and ask whether a tetanus shot is needed.

Seeing a doctor and having the wound treated costs just a few dozen yuan. If the doctor recommends a tetanus shot or immunoglobulin, those cost anywhere from several dozen to a few hundred yuan.

In US tetanus cases, approximately 1 out of every 10 cases result in death. Deep wounds and wounds contaminated with soil carry a higher risk. The 2024 clinical guidelines in China categorize wounds into two levels. Shallow wounds treated within 6 hours that have not been contaminated with soil, feces, or animal saliva are considered low risk. Wounds treated after more than 6 hours, those contaminated with such substances, or puncture, avulsion, crush, burn, frostbite, or wounds with foreign bodies embedded in them, are considered high risk. If you have received more than 3 doses and the last dose was less than 5 years ago, no vaccination is needed. For those between 5 to __name 10 years, a booster of 1 dose is required for high-risk wounds. For those over 10 years, a booster of 1 dose is required regardless of the risk level. If you have not completed the full 3 dose series or cannot remember, the vaccine series must be completed; for high-risk wounds, passive immunization agents (injections that provide direct antibodies, such as immunoglobulin or antitoxin) must also be administered.

美国疾病控制与预防中心. 破伤风：「Tetanus bacteria can get into someone's body through broken skin, usually through injuries.」「Tetanus can lead to death (1 in 10 cases in the United States are fatal).」「People who didn't complete the primary series or who aren't up to date with their 10-year tetanus booster shots are also at increased risk.」「Vaccination also helps prevent tetanus in people with wounds, depending on their tetanus vaccination history.」https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/about/index.html；国家卫生健康委办公厅 (2024). 关于印发非新生儿破伤风诊疗规范（2024 年版）的通知（国卫办医急函〔2024〕381 号，风险分级见附件第 16 页，表 4 见第 20 页）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202410/content_6982262.htm；附件 PDF（扫描件）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202410/P020241023483425528555.pdf

Once you arrive at the hospital, let the doctor make the judgment; do not decide for yourself, and do not skip asking due to the perceived inconvenience. Not all wounds require an injection. The doctor will assess the severity level of the wound and ask when your last injection was before making a decision. The idea that "if you had it as a child, it is effective for life" is incorrect. If the wound is dirty, a booster shot is required if it has been 5 years since your last dose. Therefore, before going, try to recall which year you last received a tetanus shot.