Close to one million children from the ages of one to nine across London will be offered the polio vaccine after it was discovered in the sewers of the capital, according to health officials.
Polio, which was completely eradicated in the UK in 2003, is a dangerous virus that can cause paralysis and sometimes be life-threatening. While no official cases have yet been confirmed, officials have sounded the alarm after a shocking amount of samples were found in London's sewage system.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) working alongside the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) discovered the poliovirus in sewage samples in London boroughs including Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest. Officials have said the levels of the virus found in sewage and their "genetic diversity" suggest "some virus transmission" in London's boroughs.
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Now, officials are hoping to launch a rapid vaccination programme among young people in London where there are low levels of uptake of the vaccine. In the capital, vaccination rates are well below the recommended levels while there are fears that "under-vaccinated" children will pass the infection on to others.
Officials hope that rapid vaccination will boost antibodies to such high degrees that it will interrupt the transmission of polio. Meanwhile, they also hope that the campaign will help prevent any potential cases of paralysis.
The recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation for the targeted vaccine campaign in London was approved by Health Secretary Seve Barclay. Furthermore, the NHS in London will soon contact parents to inform them of when it is their child's turn to receive the vaccine, urging parents to take up the offer as "soon as possible".
The UKHSA has officially noted that nationally the overall risk of paralytic polio is considered “low”.
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