Some people recover from the illness, some people remain chronically ill, and some people become chronic carriers, meaning they do not have symptoms, but can continue to transmit the illness to close personal contacts. There are some obvious ways to prevent contracting the virus. Practice safe sex when engaging in non-monogamous sexual intercourse. There is also a vaccine available. The vaccination requires a series of 3 injections over 6 months.
Most healthcare insurances cover the cost of the vaccine.
Most pediatricians have been offering the vaccine to newborns since 1991. Many schools offer the vaccine to middle school children. Also recommended to receive the series are people older than 18 years who may be at risk for contracting Hepatitis B. Risk factors include more than one sexual partner in the previous 6 months, history of sexually transmitted disease, drug users who share needles, people at occupational risk, household and sexual contacts of chronic Hepatitis B infected people, hemodialysis patients and clients and staff of facilities for the developmentally disabled. The vaccine is not made from live virus, so there is no danger in contracting Hepatitis or AIDS from the vaccine. Serious side effects are very uncommon with this vaccine.