Polio booster - yay or nay?

[roarfeckingroarr]

We live in London so my almost 2 year old has been invited for a Polio booster.

He's fully vaccinated - which I thought already included a Polio jab. If he had one recently, I'm not too keen on giving him a booster already. I think I had one when tiny, but then until recently we had eradicated Polio in the UK, so perhaps it's no longer on the schedule.

If you have a toddler or young child, are you going to take up the offer?

Of course

Yes we will be getting it. The last routine jab your child would have had would have been at 4 months old and they are not due another until 3 years 4 months. If I were you I'd get the booster now.

@roarfeckingroarr there is literally polio in London. Take anything they offer. A man has been paralysed by polio in the USA this is very real

Fair enough. Sounds like it's worth doing. Thanks.

I think definitely worth it OP- don’t take the chance.

My 1 year old is due their routine vaccinations tomorrow- does this cover polio or do I need the booster?

I asked the receptionist at the gp surgery but she wasn’t sure, will be asking the nurse administering the shot tomorrow but wondered if someone on here may know.

Do you honestly want to run the risk of him having to live like these individuals for the rest of his life??
gizmodo.com/the-last-of-the-iron-lungs-1819079169

I didn't do the Covid vaccination but I'm definitely doing polio 😉

Why would you not?

Yes for my eldest. Polio is no joke and my uncle lost the use of his arm to it.

My youngest is due her preschool jabs and that includes a polio booster so she will just have that not extra booster.

The letter explains that they don't need this extra booster if they've had a polio dose recently

I definitely would for Polio, even though the death and long term disability risk is far less than with Covid, I wouldn't want to put my child at a greater risk than necessary. And the Polio jab, with boosters, is almost 100% effective, what's not to like!

Oh my goodness that this should even be a question is frightening 😦

Definitely

Definitely although I can't work out why my 6 year old gets one but not my 10 year old as they're both had the same number of routine vaccines and his was longer ago.

Children will not be given the booster if they have had their pre-school booster in the past 12 months

They are targeting the under 10 year olds first - then they plan to roll it out to all under 18s

More info here
www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaccination-strategy-for-ongoing-polio-incident-jcvi-statement/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-statement-on-vaccination-strategy-for-the-ongoing-polio-incident

Polio is back in the UK. Take it.

Yay. My DF's life changed beyond belief when he caught polio as a two year old. Iron lung and permanent acquired spinal injury resulting in paralysis and eventually post polio syndrome.
I'd happily have a booster if only to protect other people.

My grandmother was a school nurse and if she had any vaccine left, I got it. I've had more boosters than anyone else on earth. I'd still have another. Polio is one of the scariest illnesses and families lived in terror of it before the vaccine.

A relative recently died having had many years disabled from post polio syndrome. She didn't suffer badly at the time, but her later years were ruined as she was unable to do anything.

Get the booster.

Yes.

How utterly depressing that we wiped out Polio in the UK and yet now it's back.

Advice taken on board; I'll book him in. Thanks all.

We've had the message (from NHS England. I have a 9,7 and 4yo)

Of course my GP surgery isn't yet doing them and can't book us in.

Not quite sure how I'm meant to get this booster?

Of course we’ll be getting it. Why would you possibly not?

Yes of course I'd get it. Haven't you seen that polio has been found in the water supply in London?

My Dad had polio as a child thought to have been contracted at a swimming pool as was quite common. He was very lucky not to suffer disability, paralysis or death like others in his generation. His neighbour's son died.

Get it done

@StillGoingStrongToday I'm always inclined to accept the science, but I thought it might be unnecessary if DS had had it recently. As he hasn't (too young), I'll definitely take it up.

Get it. The reason it's coming back is numpties not getting it and therefore undermining herd immunity.