How should I care for the vaccination site?
Spreading can be prevented through proper care of the vaccination site, including: Thorough hand washing Proper bandaging Careful disposal of used bandages For fire fighters and emergency medical personnel, the vaccination site should be covered by gauze followed by a semi-permeable bandage (like Opsite®) when on duty. All activities are acceptable with this dressing in place including showering and exercise. The only restriction is to avoid complete submersion in water (swimming, bathing). This bandage should be checked every duty day to ensure that it is intact (no fraying) and is not saturated with secretions from the vaccination site. It should be changed every three days without regard to the condition of the bandage. It should be changed sooner if the bandage has frayed edges, is falling off or is saturated with vaccination site secretions (drainage, pus). For added protection, a shirt covering the vaccination site should be worn. This method was tested for durability in a group
and read the following: Even patients vaccinated in the past may be at increased risk due to current immunodeficiency. If contact with unvaccinated patients is essential and unavoidable, healthcare workers can continue to have contact with patients, including those with immune deficiencies, as long as the vaccination site is well-covered and thorough hand-hygiene is maintained. In this setting, a more occlusive dressing might be appropriate. Semi-permeable polyurethane dressings (e.g., Opsite, Tegaderm) are effective barriers to vaccinia and recombinant vaccinia viruses. However, exudate may accumulate beneath the dressing, and care must be taken to prevent viral contamination when the dressing is removed. In addition, accumulation of fluid beneath the dressing may increase the maceration of the vaccination site. To prevent accumulation of exudates, cover the vaccination site with dry gauze, and then apply the dressing over the gauze. The dressing should also be changed daily or every
Three Key Points: 1. Don’t touch your vaccination site. 2. If you touch it by accident, wash your hands right away. 3. Don’t let others touch your vaccination site or materials that touched it. Vaccinia virus is present at the vaccination site for 30 days and until the vaccination site is completely healed. This means other people can get infected if they come in contact with virus from your arm. Most vaccination sites can be left unbandaged, when not in close contact with other persons. Airing the site will speed healing. Wear sleeves covering the site and/or use an absorbent bandage to make a touch-resistant barrier when around others. Dispose of bandages in sealed or double plastic bags. You may carefully add a little bleach, if desired. Keep the site dry. Do not use creams or ointments; they will delay healing. Long-sleeve clothing worn during the day and at night can protect the site from dirt. Launder clothing and linens that touch the site in hot water with soap or bleach. Norma
Three Key Points: 1. Dont touch your vaccination site. 2. If you touch it by accident, wash your hands right away. 3. Dont let others touch your vaccination site or materials that touched it. Vaccinia virus is present at the vaccination site for 30 days and until the vaccination site is completely healed. This means other people can get infected if they come in contact with virus from your arm. Most vaccination sites can be left unbandaged, when not in close contact with other persons. Airing the site will speed healing. Wear sleeves covering the site and/or use an absorbent bandage to make a touch-resistant barrier when around others. Dispose of bandages in sealed or double plastic bags. You may carefully add a little bleach, if desired. Keep the site dry. Do not use creams or ointments; they will delay healing. Long-sleeve clothing worn during the day and at night can protect the site from dirt. Launder clothing and linens that touch the site in hot water with soap or bleach. Normal
