Q: We were blessed with a baby girl last week. On 5th day, we took her for BCG vaccination. When the paediatrician was injecting the dose in her skin, suddenly the syringe came out of needle cap and some amount of vaccine is spilled, maybe three drops. Now we have a fear, whether we need to repeat the vaccination. Is it safe to repeat the BCG vaccination? If yes, today is 6th day. When can we repeat the same? Or the already given one will be successful? How to ensure it?

A:0.1 ml of BCG is given intradermally which is the most superficial layer of the skin. If the syringe leaked but probably the required amount i.e. 0.1 ml would have gone in. It is better to wait for few weeks which is the time required to show any reaction of BCG in the form of a red nodule, which would mean that the vaccine has gone in. There is no need for repeating the vaccine right now unless the pediatrician is sure that nothing has gone in.