Recently the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was informed of a case of paralytic polio in New York state. This news is an opportunity to address this question. First, let’s see what’s up in New York:
- The victim was never vaccinated
- The victim lives in an area with VERY low vaccination rates.
- The victim is not contagious
- This same area had a severe measles outbreak a few years ago with 312 cases of measles.
- The polio virus strain is NOT wild polio.
- The case is type 2 Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (VDPV).
- Until wild polio is totally eradicated, we run the risk of vaccine-derived polio cases in areas of low vaccination rates where a weakened virus in the oral vaccine is still in use.
The novel oral polio vaccine (OPV), now being introduced, lessens the risk of polio being caused by older forms of OPV.
So, why do we still need to fundraise for the total defeat of polio?
- Any form of poliovirus anywhere is a threat to children everywhere.
- It is critical that the GPEI Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026 is fully resourced and fully implemented everywhere to ensure a world free of all forms of poliovirus.
- Our partners and Rotary International immunize approximately 460 Million children annually.
- We monitor polio-sustaining areas and conditions in about 200 countries.
- Our team ensures outbreaks are identified and contained as quickly as humanly possible.
We call on every single Rotarian to take action and be a part of the fight to end polio, helping to raise Rotary’s goal of $50 million per year for polio eradication.