Specialists of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reminded about who and in what case should be vaccinated against rabies.

It should be recalled that rabies is an acute infectious disease that is transmitted to humans exclusively from a sick animal and affects the central nervous system. Usually, the incubation period is from 1 to 3 months, but there are exceptions when this period varies from a few days to a year. Unfortunately, there is no cure for rabies, and the only way to save an infected person is to get vaccinated in time. That is why this topic is so important.

Rabies can be transmitted to a person from an infected animal through a bite or scratch, as well as in the case of saliva getting on the mucous membranes of a person. The most common carriers of rabies are wolves and foxes, as well as cats and dogs.

It is important to note that the vaccine is effective only if the first dose was administered no later than 14 days after the injury. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the drugs is significantly reduced.

According to the Ministry of Health, a person must receive an emergency vaccination against rabies if:

• The person was bitten or scratched by a rabid or suspicious animal (even if the injuries are minimal);

• The person was in contact with any wild animals (even if there is no suspicion of rabies);

• The person received microtraumas while working with live or dead animals suffering from rabies.

We will remind you that we recently wrote about who in Ukraine is recommended to administer a second booster dose against COVID-19.