The transmission of wild polio virus has stopped, but this does not mean it cannot be reimported or be still around, but not detected. The Indian head of the WHO said it will be another two years of no cases for India to be certified as being ‘’Polio-free’’.
For travellers, there is still a need to take precautions against the disease. Polio is an acute viral infection, spread from person to person via the faecal oral route. Transmission usually occurs in areas of poor sanitation. After incubation of 3-21 days the disease varies from 90% being asymptomatic to 10% causing malaise, drowsiness, headache and sore throat resolving after a few days to 1% of these having paralytic polio with paraplegia or quadriplegia or death.
Vaccination is advised for those with incomplete vaccination history the British Vaccination Schedule advises 5 polio vaccines given throughout childhood, irrespective of region of travel and for travellers to endemic countries. Good food and water hygiene is always advised.
Polio vaccine is only given as a component of combination vaccine in the UK and is available at The Travel Clinic Ltd., Cambridge and Ipswich.
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To make enquires or book contact: enquiries@travelclinic.ltd.uk or phone 01223 367362
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