New Delhi, March 16 -- Getting cuts while cooking or gardening is pretty common, so you may not give it much thought. But if it involves a rusty object, you may think about the tetanus vaccine. Yes, it is the same shot that's given to children, who need several doses at different ages. It is a way of protecting you and your child from tetanus, which is a life-threatening bacterial infection. You can get tetanus if the soil near your house or workplace containing bacteria gets into a wound such as a burn or cut. But if you got the shot during childhood, do you still need it? On the occasion of National Vaccination Day, which is observed on March 16 in India, we tell you all about it.

What is the tetanus vaccine?

It is a vaccine that prot...