It is definitely better to get a tetanus shot as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours after injury, as the chance of prevention is much higher compared to other times. Once an injury occurs, it is essential to go to a formal hospital for wound treatment, and then use disinfectant products, typically hydrogen peroxide or iodophor, to assist in disinfection. Generally, for open wounds, stitching may be necessary, but such wounds should generally not be bandaged because bandaging can lead to anaerobic bacterial infection. Since the incubation period for Clostridium tetani, the bacterium that causes tetanus, is five to seven days, an infection could potentially develop during this time. Therefore, it is advisable to get vaccinated against tetanus infection within a week. If this timeframe is exceeded, it might impact the effectiveness of the preventative measure, thus rendering it significantly less meaningful.