Latest Rabies Vaccination Guidelines 2025

People who are not at high risk do not need to take pre-exposure vaccines； People who have been fully vaccinated with qualified rabies vaccines do not need to re-vacculate if non-severe level II exposure occurs within 3 months. If it exceeds 3 months, 2 additional vaccinations are enough, and there is no need to re-vaccinate the entire course. ； Level II exposure caused by domestic animals that meet the 10-day observation conditions can be observed first without immediate vaccination ； The routine vaccination after the first exposure is to choose one of the 5-shot method (one shot each on days 0/3/7/14/28) or the 4-shot method (2 shots each on day 0, and 1 shot each on day 7/21). The human diploid cell vaccine with lower adverse reactions is preferred.

Last week, when I was rotating at the vaccination site of the district CDC, I met seven people in the morning who asked if they wanted to get vaccinated. Five of them had red marks scratched by their own cats that were fully vaccinated. According to the old guidelines, everyone might get vaccinated just to feel at ease, but according to the new standards of the 2025 version , you can actually worry about these five things first - as long as the cat has been domesticated, has not been in contact with stray animals, and receives veterinary rabies vaccine on time every year, just observe the cat for 10 days. If the cat is not dead or sick, you will have nothing to worry about, and you don't need to get those shots in vain.

Of course, this is not without controversy. Many of my old colleagues in grassroots disease control still hold a conservative attitude. After all, not everyone can observe things in a standardized way. For example, if you were scratched by a stray cat downstairs, and the cat turned around and disappeared into the green belt, where would you observe it for 10 days? In this case, let alone level II exposure, even if you only have a few unbroken skin marks, it is recommended that you get vaccinated directly and don't take any chances. After all, the mortality rate of rabies is really 100%, so you can't afford to gamble. There are also children who have been scratched on the face. The exposed head and face are close to the nerves, and the virus ascends quickly. Even for domestic cats, it is recommended to get the first injection and observe the cat at the same time. After 10 days, the next injection can be stopped without delaying the cat.

Don't worry about whether to get an injection or not. The first priority after exposure is to deal with it. Many people ignore this. Last month, an uncle was bitten on his calf by a neighbor's dog. There was some blood. He wiped some liquor on his calf when he got home and came in for the injection the next day. When asked, he didn't wash the wound at all. This is actually a taboo. Regardless of whether you get an injection or not, first flush the wound with soapy water (or other weakly alkaline cleaner) for more than 15 minutes, squeezing the blood around the wound while flushing, and then disinfect with iodophor or medical alcohol. This step can directly remove more than 80% of the virus, which is much more effective than worrying about which vaccine to choose afterwards. Really, don’t think 15 minutes is too long, just turn on the faucet and it will be enough to watch two or three short videos.

Some people also asked, I had all the injections three to five years ago, and now I am bitten again. Do I need to get 5 more injections? The 2025 version of the guidelines clearly states that as long as you have received a full course of qualified rabies vaccine before, no matter how long it has passed, you do not need to take immune globulin if you are exposed again. You only need to take 2 booster shots (one shot each day 0 and 3). However, there are also different academic opinions here. Some veteran experts with more than 20 years of experience believe that after more than 5 years of exposure, the immune memory may be weakened, and it is recommended to give the full course of vaccination. This actually depends on your own choice. If the source of the biting animal is unknown, or it is a serious grade III penetrating injury, it is completely okay to feel that the full course of vaccination is more reassuring, and it is not excessive medical treatment.

As for what many people ask about whether it is necessary to get vaccinated in advance? Unless you are a high-risk group such as a veterinarian, stray animal rescuer, or field explorer who often comes into contact with animals, there is really no need to go out of your way to beat them. There was a little girl who liked cats very much and was afraid of being scratched by cats when she went out. She came here to ask if she could spank her first. I told her that it was not necessary. As long as she did not take the initiative to tease strange or abnormal stray animals, the risk of exposure would be extremely low. High-risk groups no longer need to take booster shots every year. After the completion of the treatment, the antibody titer should be tested every 2-3 years. If the antibody titer is 0.5IU/ml, there is no need to take a supplement. If it is not enough, just one more shot will be enough to avoid having to take injections every year.

Finally, to be honest, I have been at the vaccination site for almost five years and have seen too many people who are overly anxious and need injections even if their skin is licked by a cat. In fact, it is really unnecessary. Of course, I have also seen people with big hearts, who were bitten by stray dogs and thought it was okay, but they also had accidents in the end. To sum up, regular vaccination of domestic pets with veterinary vaccines is better than anything else. Don’t leave it to chance when unfamiliar stray animals are exposed. Get vaccinated when necessary. Those who meet the observation conditions don’t need to worry about unnecessary injections, which are expensive and painful. If you are really unsure, go to the nearby Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with a photo of the wound and ask. It is much more reliable than searching for scary cases on the Internet to scare yourself.