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When Should You Get a Polio Vaccine

There are two types of polio vaccine:

  • Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV), a shot, given in the leg or arm, depending on age, is the shot recommended in the US today.
  • Oral Poliovirus (OPV), a live, oral polio vaccine, which is swallowed.

Before January 1, 2000, Oral poliovirus (OPV) was recommended for most children in the US. OPV helped rid the country of polio, and it is still used in many parts of the world. Since January 1, 2000, Inactivated poliovirus (IPV) have been adopted as the standard US vaccine. Both vaccines give immunity to polio, but OPV is better at keeping the disease from spreading to other people. However, for a few people (about one in 2.4 million), OPV actually causes polio. Since the risk of getting polio in the US is now extremely low, experts believe that using oral polio vaccine is no longer worth the slight risk, except in limited circumstances which your doctor can describe. The polio shot (IPV) does not cause polio. If you or your child will be getting OPV, ask for a copy of the OPV Vaccine Information Statement.

The polio vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

Most people should get polio vaccine when they are children. Children get 4 doses of IPV, at these ages:

  • 2 months.
  • 4 months.
  • 6-18 months.
  • A booster dose at 4-6 years.

Most adults do not need polio vaccine because they were already vaccinated as children, but three groups of adults are at higher risk and should consider polio vaccination:

  • People traveling to areas of the world where polio is common.
  • Laboratory workers who might handle poliovirus.
  • Health care workers treating patients who could have polio.

Adults in these three groups who have never been vaccinated against polio should get 3 doses of IPV:

  • The first dose at any time.
  • The second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose.
  • The third dose 6 to 12 months after the second dose.

Adults in these three groups who have had 1 or 2 doses of polio vaccine in the past should get the remaining 1 or 2 doses. It doesn’t matter how long it has been since the earlier dose(s).

 

Last Update: 06/16/2008 01:49 PM