Getting the Shot: What You Need to Know About the Polio Vaccine

Polio Vaccine

History of the Polio Vaccine

You've seen those heart-wrenching photos of kids in iron lungs, their lower bodies withered away to nothing. That was polio. A highly contagious virus that swept through towns crippling and killing children. But that's ancient history now thanks to vaccines. So why should you still care about polio shots? Because the disease still lurks out there waiting to cripple the unvaccinated. And we're just a plane ride away from the latest outbreak. So roll up your sleeve and get the facts on why the polio vaccine remains one of the best ways you can protect yourself and your community.

How the Polio Vaccine Works

The road to a polio vaccine was a long one. The first major breakthrough came in 1935 when two researchers developed a poliovirus culture, allowing scientists to study the virus in the lab.  The Race Begins 

In the postwar years, the race was on to develop a vaccine. Jonas Salk began work on a killed virus vaccine in 1952. At the same time, Albert Sabin focused on developing an oral vaccine using live attenuated (weakened) virus strains.

Salk's Success

After successful trials,  Salk’s killed virus vaccine was approved in 1955. Mass immunizations began, reducing paralytic polio cases in the U.S. by over 90% within a few years. 

Sabin's Oral Vaccine

Sabin’s oral vaccine, approved in 1961, soon replaced Salk’s. It was cheaper, easier to administer, and better at providing intestinal immunity, blocking person-to-person transmission. Cases declined worldwide.

Polio Today

Thanks to global vaccination efforts, polio cases have dropped by over 99% since 1988. Only Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan have never stopped transmission. With continued immunization and monitoring, polio could be wiped out for good, marking one of the greatest public health achievements in history.

Through the tireless work of researchers and the support of millions, we stand on the brink of a polio-free world. But we must continue the fight through vaccination to overcome this disease that has caused so much suffering. Our shared immunity is our shared responsibility.

The Importance of the Polio Vaccine

The polio vaccine uses a weakened or inactivated form of the poliovirus to trigger your body’s immune system and build up antibodies against the disease. Attenuated vaccine 

The oral polio vaccine contains live but weakened polioviruses that still can replicate in your body. When you get the drops in your mouth, these attenuated viruses activate your immune system which then produces antibodies against the poliovirus. This protects you from becoming infected with ‘wild’ polioviruses in the future.

Inactivated vaccine

The inactivated polio vaccine, or IPV, uses killed polioviruses to produce an immune response. Your body detects these deactivated viruses and makes antibodies against them. Even though the viruses are dead, your immune system still learns to recognize them and respond. IPV requires an injection, usually in the arm or thigh.  

While the attenuated oral vaccine is cheaper and easier to distribute, the inactivated version avoids the small risk of the live virus reverting to a disease-causing form.  Most countries now use IPV, with some continuing to use OPV.

Whichever vaccine you get, the goal is the same: to teach your body's natural defenses to protect you against polio. With vaccination, we have come close to wiping out a disease that once crippled hundreds of thousands of children each year. The polio vaccine truly is a modern medical miracle.

Side Effects and Safety of the Polio Vaccine

The polio vaccine is one of the most important medical advancements in history. Thanks to vaccination, polio has been eliminated in most parts of the world.  If polio returns, the disease can cripple or even kill. 

Protecting Our Communities

By vaccinating yourself and your family against polio, you're helping stop the spread of this devastating disease and protecting your whole community. When enough people in an area are immunized against a disease, the disease has nowhere to go and dies out - this is known as herd immunity. Herd immunity protects even those who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons.

Safe and Effective

The polio vaccine, whether the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) given by injection or oral polio vaccine (OPV) given by mouth, is very safe and effective. Serious side effects are extremely rare. The IPV is made from inactivated (killed) polioviruses, so it's impossible to get polio from the vaccine. OPV uses weakened live polioviruses, but the likelihood of vaccine-derived polio cases is very small.

Global Eradication Efforts

Widespread polio vaccination has led to the complete eradication of polio in many parts of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched an initiative to eradicate polio globally through mass vaccination. Their efforts have been successful in eliminating the disease in all but a few countries.  With continued vaccination and monitoring, polio may become the second disease ever to be eradicated from the world.

By understanding the importance of vaccination against this debilitating disease, you can do your part to help protect future generations from the threat of polio. Talk to your doctor about staying up to date with the polio vaccine and encourage friends and family to do the same. Together, we can make polio a disease of the past.

Polio Vaccine Schedule and Availability

The polio vaccine has an excellent safety record and serious side effects are extremely rare. However, as with any vaccine, mild side effects can occur. Soreness at the Injection Site

It's common to experience soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given. This usually clears up within a couple of days. Applying a cool, wet washcloth to the area may help relieve the discomfort.

Fever 

A low-grade fever is also fairly common and will typically last around 1 to 2 days. You can give an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen to help lower the fever. See your doctor if the fever is higher than 101.4 F.  

Irritability or Fussiness

Some babies may be irritable, fussy or drowsy after getting the polio vaccine. Giving extra fluids, acetaminophen and comforting your baby can help relieve these temporary symptoms.  

Rare but Serious Reactions

In rare cases, some people may experience a severe allergic reaction to the polio vaccine. Seek medical help immediately if symptoms like hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or dizziness occur.

There is also an extremely small risk of developing polio-like paralysis from the live poliovirus used in the oral polio vaccine (OPV). The injected polio vaccine (IPV) uses inactivated virus and does not carry this risk. Due to this, IPV is now the only polio vaccine used in the U.S. and most developed countries. 

Overall, the benefits of the polio vaccine far outweigh the risks from side effects. Widespread vaccination has led to the eradication of polio in the U.S. and most parts of the world. As long as vaccination levels remain high, polio should continue to stay eliminated. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about the polio vaccine.