Polio is a contagious disease caused by a virus that lives in the intestines and throat. The poliovirus enters your mouth and travels to your nervous system. It can quickly result in paralysis and, in some cases, death.
Polio affects children under the age of five the most. People over the age of 65 with weakened immune systems are also at risk. It is widely held that polio only affects people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This is not the case; all children are equally vulnerable.
Polio has no known cure. The best way to protect your child is to make sure they get the polio vaccine at the right time.
Who Should Get Polio Vaccine?
To protect against poliomyelitis or polio, children in the United States should receive the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). They should receive four doses in total, one at each of the pages listed below:
- Age of 2 months
- 4 months of age
- Children between 6 and 18 months
- Children between 4 to 6 years old
Before leaving for their trip, children who will be visiting a country where the risk of contracting polio is higher external icon should finish the series. If a child is unable to complete the routine series before leaving, the following accelerated schedule is suggested:
- a first dose at the age of 6 weeks or older
- a first dose at the age of 6 weeks or older
- a third treatment 4 weeks following the second dose
Adults
Because most adults were vaccinated as children, they do not require the polio vaccine. However, three groups of adults are at higher risk and should consider polio vaccination in the following circumstances:
- You're visiting a country where the risk of contracting polio is higher. Inquire with your healthcare provider about whether you need to be vaccinated.
- You work in a laboratory and handle poliovirus-infected specimens;
- You are a healthcare worker who treats patients who may have polio or has close contact with someone who may be infected with poliovirus.
Adults in these three groups who have never had polio should receive three doses of IPV:
- Adults in these three groups
Adults in these three groups who have never received a polio vaccine should receive three doses of IPV:
- the first dose at any time,
- The second dose was given 1 to 2 months later, and
- the third dose was given 6 to 12 months later.
Adults in these three groups who have previously received one or two doses of the polio vaccine should receive the remaining doses. It makes no difference how long has passed since your last dose (s).
What are the Different Kinds of Polio Vaccines?
Poliomyelitis, or polio, is prevented by two vaccines.
- Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV)
- IPV (inactivated poliovirus vaccine) Since 2000, IPV has been the only polio vaccine used in the United States.
- Depending on the patient's age, it is administered via a shot in the leg or arm.
- Children should receive four doses in total, one at each of the following ages:
2 months old,
4 months old,
6 through 18 months old, and
4 through 6 years old.
Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV)
Despite the fact that the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) is no longer licensed or available in the United States, it is still used in other parts of the world. The vaccine is given to children in the form of drops in the mouth.
Polio Vaccine Potential Side Effects
- It's not uncommon for people to pass out after undergoing a medical procedure, such as a vaccination. Sitting or lying down for 15 minutes can help you avoid fainting and injury from a fall.
- Sitting or lying down for 15 minutes can help you avoid fainting and injury from a fall.
- Some people experience shoulder pain that is more severe and longer-lasting than the more common soreness that can occur after injections. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy, have vision changes, or ringing in your ears.
- Any medication can cause a severe allergic reaction, which happens very rarely. Such vaccine reactions are extremely rare, estimated to occur once in a million doses, and would occur within minutes to hours of the vaccination.