If you're an adult due for a tetanus shot, you might have more options than you did last year. U.S. health advisors have updated their recommendations, giving doctors more flexibility to use either of two common vaccines in three specific scenarios. Previously, only the Td vaccine (which protects against tetanus and diphtheria) was recommended for those situations. Now, the Tdap vaccine—which adds protection against pertussis, or whooping cough—is also an acceptable choice.
The change applies to adults in the United States. The three scenarios involve getting a tetanus booster dose: for routine protection every 10 years, for wound management if it's been more than 5 years since your last shot, and for pregnant women during each pregnancy. The core rule hasn't changed: all adults should still get a tetanus booster dose every decade.
This update is based on a review of vaccine guidance, not a new clinical trial comparing the two shots side-by-side. We don't have new data from this review on how common side effects are or how well the vaccines work in these specific situations. The recommendation simply says both vaccines are now considered appropriate options in those three cases, giving healthcare providers and patients more flexibility.