An ‘old wives’ tale’ drives calls for tetanus shots amid Houston flooding
The suggestions are based on the widespread — and mistaken — belief that contact with floodwaters increases a person’s risk of contracting the infection.
People caught up in the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey face uncertainty and stress. But one thing most of them don’t have to worry about right now is whether they need a tetanus shot.
Scattered social media posts from Texas have invoked the importance of tetanus shots for those who have been wading through floodwaters; a U.S. congressman urged residents to start considering whether they needed to get booster shots.
Those suggestions are based on the widespread belief that contact with floodwaters increases a person’s risk of contracting tetanus, a
