On fence about Polio vax...thoughts?

[semicrunchymom]

Delayed/select vaxers: Did you do the polio vax? I am on the fence. On the one hand, it is incredibly rare to nonexistent in this country, but I live in an area with a lot of international transplants and travelers (Seattle) so it could only be a plane ride away. On the other hand, the ingredients of the vaccine give me serious pause. My son is 5 months old on Wed and so far has had 2 doses of Dtap and HIB and Prevnar 13. We do one vax at a time, 2-4 weeks apart.

[erinmattsmom88]

Each of my kids has had 3/4 polio shots. They will not be getting any more. They are 5 and 2.5. I don't see the need. Have no plans of traveling abroad... ever. If they do, they can deal with it when the time comes... getting their shots, etc... assuming they will be adults at that time.

[prosciencemum]

Polio is almost eradicated world wide. A great triumph for vaccination programs. 

http://www.polioeradication.org

So it's probably the least important vaccine to get in terms of risk of getting this disease.

However the vaccination is also very safe. Both my kids got it.

I think it would be a massive pity if people "jump the gun" - by which I mean, mass refusal to vaccinate against polio leading to a resurgence of polio in the west. I have no idea how likely that is, but since people are extremely mobile internationally I can understand the physical mechanism by which it would happen.

I would think from the US point of view, that it's endemic in Afghanistan would be a concern - given the military presence in that country. 

From the Polio eradication website: 

Quote:

Polio remains endemic in three countries – Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan – and has re-established transmission in three countries which were previously polio-free (Angola, Chad and Democratic Republic of the Congo). Several more countries had ongoing outbreaks in 2011 due to importations of poliovirus.

The list of "importation countries": 

• • Central African Republic
  • China
  • Congo
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Gabon
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Uganda