[devin]

This style of rabies vaccine is for pre-exposure. Post-exposure vaccination is more involved if you aren’t primed.

In addition, it used to be the case that people received abdominal shots and the course was pretty intense. That has ended, but people remember it.

[deesep]

Oh I remember alright! I got bitten by a stray dog when I was 12 years old. I was given abdominal shots of the vaccine for several days. I can't remember if it was for 7 or 14 days, but it was a very painful and traumatic experience. It caused me to have a deep fear of dogs for several decades.

[throwaway290]

post exposure vaccination is a thing?? does it work for everything and why is it called vaccination not treatment?

[intelfx]

> post exposure vaccination is a thing?? does it work for everything

I believe in this discussion the context is specifically rabies.

> and why is it called vaccination not treatment?

It's both, really. You get a shot of rabies immunoglobulin (at the site of potential infection, i.e., bite) _and_ an extended course of vaccine at the same time.

[wil421]

Yes, you can get the vaccine but you only have days/weeks to do it.