Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

It was suggested by the doctor doing my pre-employment physical, that I might want to consider getting a hepatitis b vaccine. Any thoughts for or against?

I had mine from the Army before I was hired. I can't see a reason not to get it. You will be in a high-risk environment if you get hired.

I would not think twice about it.

I am not an officer, but I've worked in places where your customers get sent...I have access to medical records...

Get vaccinated against everything and anything you can.

trust me.

Our department offers those to us. Some OSHA thing I think (could be wrong though- maybe its just the PD showing their "kind side" :p ).

Remember there are booster shots needed to make the whole Hep B vacine work. If I recall, I think it requires three shots total.

The Hep A vacine is another one worth asking about. No vacines are available for Hep C or D and I don't think there is one for Hep E.

A Hep primer:

Hep A is usually transmitted through ingestion of fecal matter, even in microscopic amounts, from close person-to-person contact or ingestion of contaminated food or drinks.

Hep B is usually transmitted through contact with infectious blood, semen, and other body fluids from having sex with an infected person, sharing contaminated needles to inject drugs, or from an infected mother to her newborn.

Hep C is usually transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person, primarily through sharing contaminated needles to inject drugs.

Hep D is usually transmitted through contact with infectious blood, similar to how HBV is spread. It's allegedly uncommon in the US.

Hep E is usually contracted through ingestion of fecal matter, even in microscopic amounts; outbreaks are usually associated with contaminated water supply in countries with poor sanitation.