Polio: symptoms to be aware of and how to check your vaccination status as cases on the rise in Pakistan

• Polio cases are on the rise in Pakistan.
• Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only countries were Polio is still endemic.
• There is no cure for Polio but the vaccine offers protection.
• The chance of getting Polio in the UK is described as “extremely low”.

Cases of Polio are on the rise in Pakistan ahead of a national vaccination programme. Six more cases of the serious infection have been found in the country, bringing the total number confirmed this year to 39.

Polio, is a serious infectious disease that can cause paralysis in young children, it was eradicated in Europe in 2003, with Pakistan and Afghanistan the only countries in the world that the infection is still endemic.

The NHS offers a Polio vaccination programme, with the risk of getting Polio in the UK described as “extremely low”. Here’s everything you need to know about Polio, its symptoms and how to access the vaccine.

What is Polio?

Polio is a serious infection caused by the poliovirus, it can infect the spinal cord, causing paralysis and becoming life threatening. Infections are very rare around the world, thanks to the global vaccination programme, but Polio is still endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan

What are the symptoms of Polio?

The risk of catching Polio in the UK is described by the NHS as “extremely low”, most people who have a Polio infection do not have symptoms, however, the NHS explain some people may experience flu-like symptoms that normally last up to 10 days, including:

• a high temperature
• extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• headaches
• being sick (vomiting)
• a stiff neck
• muscle pain

Polio can lead to serious symptoms that can affect the brain and the nerves, causing paralysis, which can be life threatening. Most people will recover, however some people can be left with permanent paralysis.

Is there a Polio vaccine?

The Polio vaccination is offered as part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination schedule, you will need to receive all five vaccines to be fully vaccinated against Polio, they are delivered when children are:

• Eight, 12 and 16 weeks old as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine
• Three years, four months old as part of the 4-in-1 (DTaP/IPV) pre-school booster
• 14 years old as part of the 3-in-1 (Td/IPV) teenage booster

You can check you or your child’s vaccination status by contacting your GP surgery, if you are not up to date with your vaccine you can access this via your GP surgery, you can have a Polio vaccine at any age if you haven’t had one before.

You can find out more about Polio, the signs and symptoms and the Polio vaccine on NHS.UK.