Polio Risk Notice Reissued for 31 Countries

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reissued its Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions Global Polio notice.

As of January 5, 2024, the CDC's Travel Health Notice confirmed that polio and poliovirus are health risks in about thirty-one countries that have recently reported outbreaks.

The CDC says that adults who previously completed the whole, routine polio vaccine series may receive a single, lifetime booster dose of the polio vaccine before traveling to any of these destinations.

Any other traveler should ensure they are up-to-date on their polio vaccination schedule.

In the U.S., the IPV vaccine has been deployed since 2000.

Jeri Beales, MSN RN at Destination Health Travel Clinic in Natick, MA, 01760, told Precision Vaccinations, "It's a common misconception that polio has been eradicated worldwide. We forget that polio is still out there because cases are so rare in the U.S. Decades of vaccination efforts in the U.S. have kept infections at bay; still, sadly, polio has regained a foothold in various countries."

"So, if you have plans to travel to a country experiencing a polio outbreak, you may be putting yourself and your family at risk. Adults need to receive a one-time additional dose of polio before traveling to any high-risk countries because the vaccines you received as a child may no longer be protective. Like a lot of vaccines, the effectiveness wears off with time."

"And don't forget, if you're traveling with children, check with their pediatrician to ensure they are up-to-date on their polio immunizations.

In late 2023, the WHO announced that the risk of the international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and recommended its extension and Temporary Recommendations for three months.

According to the CDC, most people with polio do not feel sick. Some people have only minor symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, neck and back stiffness, and arm and leg pain.

However, in rare cases, polio infection causes permanent loss of muscle function. Polio can be fatal if the muscles used for breathing are paralyzed or if there is an infection of the brain.

Note: This news article was updated with the provider's perspective on Jan.16, 2024.