A baby can get tetanus if the instrument used to cut the umbilical chord is contaminated, if the person delivering has dirty hands, if manure/ash/coal is used to cover the chord or if soil enters it. Clean practices and equipment during delivery can protect the child. Infants can get tetanus if infected instruments are used for circumcision/scarification/piercing. Using clean instruments can protect them. Tetanus can be prevented by a vaccination given to children in the first few months of life.
Attribution: Straight Talk Foundation