Certain types of poliovirus have spread in Rockland County, New Yorkas well as in neighboring areas, leading to the World Health Organization (WHO) to add the United States to the list of countries where similar polioviruses have been detected.

The list includes about 30 countries from Europe, Asia and Africa, such as the UK, Israel, Yemen, Algeria and Niger.

US official incorporation The list was announced last week by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

alarm?

The news raises questions about what will happen next. To doPeople who got all doses of polio vaccine as children now need a booster? What should you do if you are unsure of your vaccination status or if you know for sure that you have not received the polio vaccine?

Basically, There is no general recommendation that fully vaccinated people look for a polio booster.

“Of course, at this time, there are no further national or local recommendationsPeople who are confident about their childhood vaccination regimen may need an extra boostsaid Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Tennessee.

Schaffner notes that there may be certain circumstances, where: it might make sense for one to seek reinforcement.

Vaccination

For now, the main concern of health workers is to vaccinate those who have not completed their polio vaccination series, said Schaffner.

“LPolio vaccination is the safest and best way to combat this debilitating disease and it is very important for people in this community who are not vaccinated to get vaccinated against polio immediately.“, said Dr. José R. Romero, director of the CDC’s National Center. for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Dr Romero also said in the CDC statement. “NOr can we stress enough that polio is a dangerous disease for which there is no cure?“