Getting the hepatitis B vaccine is the best method of hepatitis B prevention.¹ However, the hepatitis B vaccine is not available in all parts of the world. In Europe, it greatly differs from country to country. Some countries such as France and Germany have universal vaccination programmes geared towards infants. Countries such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom do not provide a universal vaccination programme of any sort.²

If you have already been exposed to the virus, a vaccination won’t prevent you from getting infected.³

If You’ve Been Exposed to Hepatitis B How Do You Prevent Infecting Others?

Since hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and body fluids, there are ways to help the prevention of the hepatitis B infection. These include:¹

• Avoid sharing personal items with people, such as razors, toothbrushes, earrings and nail clippers
• Make sure that clean needles are used for tattoos and body piercings
• If you visit a barber, make sure that he uses clean razors
• Use condoms when you have sex, particularly if you have multiple sex partners
• Avoid illegal drugs. If you do continue to inject illegal drugs, never share needles or syringes
• If you are a medical professional, follow good practices for using and disposing of needles

If you think that you have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus, it is important to visit your medical professional and get a hepatitis B blood test. This is the only way to know for sure if you have been infected with hepatitis B, and remember to always follow the hepatitis B prevention tips listed above.