Hepatitis B virus is transmitted via infected blood & bodily fluids through:

• Birth

• Unsafe medical practices

• Close contact/living with someone infected

• Sharing personal items

• Piercings, tattoos, needles

• Human bites

It CAN be spread via sexual activity. But it’s not remotely the only way.

Children get hepatitis B through two main routes:

• Perinatally: newborn is infected during birth. This is also called vertical transmission.

• Direct contact with an infected individual: family members, medical professionals, kids in daycare, etc

NOT sexually.

HBV is incredibly contagious.

The virus spreads when there is a break in the skin or through mucous membranes (eyes, respiratory tract, vagina, etc). The virus can survive on inanimate objects and surfaces for 7 days.

90% of infants infected with HBV WILL develop chronic hepatitis.

• 58% of ALL liver cancers are linked to chronic hepatitis.

Newborn hepatitis B vaccine prevents:

• Acute hepatitis B

• Chronic hepatitis

• Cirrhosis and liver failure

• Liver cancer

• Death

Don’t you want to protect children from these awful health outcomes?

Hepatitis B virus has a 10-week period where you can be infected and contagious but test negative, so testing during pregnancy is NOT sufficient.

PLUS, a baby can get infected other ways (see above).

That’s WHY we have universal newborn vaccine recommendations — we have since 1991.

To save lives. To protect babies. To prevent infections and cancer.

We have decades of data that prove how effective (and safe) the newborn hepatitis B vaccine is.

People who discourage hepatitis B vaccine by claiming it’s for a “sexually transmitted infection” are spreading dangerous lies.

This myth has been debunked for DECADES.

If they still truly believe it, they don’t understand science, as the transmission routes are a basic fact about this virus.

People who spread falsehoods about hepatitis B vaccination are deliberately ignoring reality and putting you, your kids, and our society at risk.

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