DrJohnSever

There have been outbreaks of vaccine associated polio, but they are extraordinarily rare - 1 in about 2.7 million doses of the vaccine administered. And these have been met with intensive immunization in the areas.  With that approach the outbreaks have been put under control.  There is an acceptance of the immunization program to proceed. In most areas of the world, parents are eager to protect their children from paralysis and there is strong acceptance of the vaccine.

Once the wild poliovirus has been shown to no longer be present, we anticipate we will transition to using only the injectable polio vaccine. But until that time, it is necessary to continue with intensive immunization with the oral polio vaccine. A combination of both vaccines (oral and injectable) is necessary to eradicate polio.  

I remember vividly the fear of polio when I was young and when my own cousin developed paralytic polio and the great sadness in my family because of this.  I remember her need to have multiple surgeries and braces in order to walk.  But, in general, each summer the swimming pools would be closed and contact between children kept to a minimum because of the fear of polio.  And my father was a practicing physician and I remember going with him and seeing homes where there was a sign on the door: Quarantine and Keep Out Because of Polio.  Younger generations won’t remember this. This experience is a distant memory in the U.S. but is still very real for those living in polio-impacted countries.  I think that we need to communicate that struggle to younger generations.I think it is important to emphasize in meetings and literature the value of eradicating polio. We have almost reached the point of accomplishing the goal of eradication, but we need to push over the finish line to accomplish the goal.  In some regions, like Afghanistan and Nigeria, they’re still having experiences with paralytic polio, which the United States hasn’t since the 1980s.  That’s why it’s important to stay engaged with this effort across the world.

In 1979, polio was no longer active in the United States and a few other countries.  So, we knew that it could be controlled and eradicated.  But most countries in the world were not immunizing for polio.  So, it was important that immunization be taken to all of the children of the world.  And Rotary was interested in accepting this opportunity and helping to immunize the children of the world.  

Most people infected with polio don’t exhibit symptoms. Only about 1 in 200 people infected with polio are paralyzed by the disease. We will need to continue inoculation for at least three years after we reach zero cases and the virus is eradicated – very likely for several years beyond that time. 

Some of the vaccines that are being used along with polio include vaccines to prevent cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus diarrhoea, rubella and tetanus.  Other vaccines are being considered and require further development and reduction in cost. We aren’t just limited to giving other vaccines alongside the polio vaccine. We can deliver other health interventions as well – Vitamin A, mosquito nets, etc. The polio infrastructure is reaching some of the hardest-to-reach children and we take advantage of that access to provide as much healthcare as possible to them.