Steps For Staying Safe
Protecting yourself from the world's deadliest disease.
Rabies is deadly, but preventable. It is vital to know how to protect yourself if you live in, or are travelling to, a rabies affected area.
Staying safe around dogs
As 99% of all human rabies deaths are the result of an infected dog bite, it is important to know how to get along with dogs to avoid bites.
- eating
- sleeping
- feeding her puppies.
- Run in front of a dog
- throw stones at a dog
- make eye contact with a dog.
- Stand still like a tree
- do not scream
- ignore the dog and look elsewhere.
What to do if bitten by a dog
- Immediately wash the wound with soap under running water for 15 minutes.
- Disinfect the wound with iodine/betadine if possible. Do not cover the wound and do not apply home remedies.
- Go to the hospital immediately for the full course of post-exposure injections.
Post-exposure treatment
- If you have had a pre-exposure vaccination course, the current WHO guidelines recommend 2 rabies vaccine injections on days 0 and 3.
- If you haven't had a pre-exposure vaccination course, WHO recommend 4 rabies vaccine injections on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. For category 3 exposures, rabies immunoglobulin is also advised.
Always consult a doctor if you have any concerns about a bite or scratch wound.
Rabies response teams
- India, Goa: +91 77440 29586
- India, Bangalore: +91 6364 893 322
- Cambodia, Phnom Penh: +85 5108 04176
- Malawi, Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Zomba and Thyolo: 3434
Travelling to a country with rabies
Always consult a doctor to check if you will require vaccinations for rabies prior to your trip. This will be especially important if you are working with animals.
Anyone joining a Mission Rabies trip as a volunteer will receive guidance on the vaccinations required. Proof of vaccination is essential.
