Polio booster shots to reach 1 million children "urgently". This is as health officials try to contain the epidemic in the UK.
Scientists are still detecting thevirus in some areas ofLondon. This causes paralysis and can even be fatal.
Investigators found at least one positive sample in sewage in Burnett, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringay, Islington and Waltham Forest. These are all places where vaccination coverage is low.
In response,Vaccine Watchdog adds to nearly one million children from her 1 to her 9 in all boroughs of London. asked for an “urgent provision” of polio vaccination for
The purpose of the Joint Commission on Immunization and Immunization is to increase protection against paralysis.
and boosting children's immunity to prevent contagion.
Invitations will be sent to all parents of young children in the capital within the next four weeks.
Her UKHSA consultant epidemiologist Dr Vanessa Saliba said:
“However, we know that vaccination coverage is lowest in areas of London where the polio virus is transmitted.
"It is important that parents ensure their children have adequate immunizations for their age.
"Following the JCVI's advice, all children aged 1 to 9 in London should be vaccinated against polio now, whether it is an additional booster dose or to catch up with their routine immunizations.
"It ensures a high level of protection against paralysis, which may also help prevent further spread of the virus."
Since February, London Health chiefs declared a"national incident"early in the summer after detecting the same strain in sewage samples from
Currently he has been taken 116 times out of 19 sewage samples collected in the capital.
However, despite clear evidence of an outbreak, no cases have yet been reported.
Experts say the strain detected in the UK is the same one that paralyzed a man in New York last month. And the same bug was also found in Israel.
Her 3 out of 10 of her five-year-olds in London were not adequately vaccinated against the worm when they started school.
What are her 6 signs of polio to know
Jane Clegg ofNHS Chief Nurse London said:
Health and Social Welfare Secretary Steve Berkley said he was aware of the concerns parents and caregivers had over the polio discovery in London.
However, he added that no one had yet been diagnosed with the virus, and said the risk to the wider population was low.
He said: Provide the affected boroughs with the best possible protection so that the chances of contagion can be reduced.
“We are aware that many countries, including Belgium and Portugal, offer boosters as part of their childhood immunization programmes, and JCVI is the international We have taken into account the data and have made recommendations, which I have accepted.
"Vaccines provide the best protection for children and those around them. Please keep up to date with your regular injections and come forward as soon as you are vaccinated.The NHS has contacted me.”
Most people who get polio have symptoms. However, some people suffer from mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, extreme fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and muscle aches.
1 in 100 to 1,000 In one person, the polio virus attacks nerves in the spine and the base of the brain
which can lead to paralysis, usually in the legs, for hours or days
Polio can be life-threatening if respiratory muscles are affected.
