Why do people still get polio in some countries and not in others?
On a busy street in Karachi, Pakistan, a health care worker kneels down so she's eye to eye with a toddler. She squeezes two drops of liquid onto the child's tongue. Then she takes out a purple marker and colors the child's pinkie fingernail so everyone can see that this toddler is now vaccinated against polio.
In some countries, polio persists despite the availability of vaccines, while other nations have managed to eradicate it. This disparity lies in the extent of vaccination coverage. Health workers in Pakistan visit door-to-door, administering drops of vaccine and marking vaccinated children's fingernails to ensure widespread immunity.
In contrast, the United States utilizes a different vaccination method. Despite advancements, wild polio type 1 still circulates in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where decades of conflict hinder vaccination efforts. Vaccine-derived polio arises when the oral vaccine, with a weakened virus, replicates in communities with low vaccination rates.
In addition, misinformation can fuel outbreaks, as seen in Nigeria and New York. Nevertheless, eradication remains a realistic possibility, with just two countries hosting wild polio and a 99% global reduction in cases. This success hinges on continued vaccine distribution and combating misinformation.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Why do people still get polio in some countries and not in others? theconversation.com
