The polio vaccine will be offered to all children between the ages of one and nine in all London boroughs, following the discovery of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus in sewage in north and east London.
The Join Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that this will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis and help reduce further spread of the virus.
Children in London to be offered polio vaccine
Parents will be contacted by the NHS in London when it is their child’s turn to come forward for a booster or catch-up polio dose. Parents have been advised to take up the offer as soon as possible.
Jane Clegg, Chief Nurse for the NHS in London, said: ‘We are already reaching out to parents and carers of children who aren’t up to date with their routine vaccinations, who can book a catch-up appointment with their GP surgery now and for anyone not sure of their child’s vaccination status, they can check their Red Book.’
‘It is vital parents ensure their children are fully vaccinated for their age’
Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, Dr Vanessa Saliba, said that, for the majority of the population, ‘who are full vaccinated’ the risk of polio is low. However, the areas in London where the poliovirus is being transmitted ‘have some of the lowest vaccination rates,’ which is why the virus is spreading in these communities.
Dr Saliba stated: ‘It is vital parents ensure their children are fully vaccinated for their age. Following JCVI advice all children aged 1 to 9 years in London need to have a dose of polio vaccine now – whether it’s an extra booster dose or just to catch up with their routine vaccinations. It will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis. This may also help stop the virus spreading further.’
The UKHSA and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have undertaken further upstream sampling following the findings of type 2 poliovirus collected from the Beckton sewage treatment works. They have identified at least one positive sample of the poliovirus, which is currently present in parts of Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest.