Do Adults Need to Get Polio Vaccination?

Polio has been eradicated in 99% of countries, but there are a few countries (such as Pakistan and Afghanistan) where polio is still endemic. Therefore, for travelers planning to travel to any such high-risk area, it is recommended that travelers must get their polio vaccine beforehand.

Children usually get the polio vaccine in New York at various ages during their childhood to build lifetime immunity. If you have been vaccinated during childhood, you will not need to get vaccinated again. The vaccine has been designed to protect you throughout your lifetime after all vaccination shots have been administered.

However, polio vaccination is generally recommended for all travelers visiting any country with wild poliovirus (WPV) or vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV). Polio is a serious disease that may cause paralysis, cause issues with the functionality of arms or legs or even lead to death. So, if a country you are visiting has presented any polio cases in the previous 12 months, it is recommended to get vaccinated for unvaccinated adults.

An unvaccinated adult will be highly vulnerable to WPV or VDPV if they travel to any areas with an active polio outbreak. Thus, they will need to get the polio vaccine at a government facility or travel clinic in New York City at the interval of 4-8 weeks before traveling. The polio vaccine is usually administered in a series of immunization shots in 3 or 4 doses.

The polio vaccination is recommended for all children before the age of 6. All four doses need to be completed for the best lifetime protection against the polio risk. Nevertheless, there are also few people who avoid vaccination due to being anti-vaxxers. The polio vaccination has proven to be 100% effective in successfully protecting the vaccinated people against the deadly disease. So, if due to whichever reason a person did not get vaccinated, they can get the vaccination even after becoming an adult. And if you got 1 or 2 vaccination shots but didn’t get the 3rd and 4th ones, you can still get vaccinated at any time. There is no need to restart the process. You can consult with a healthcare professional and get the rest of the shots to complete the course.

If you have any queries or need to get a polio vaccine in New York, visit our travel clinic today.