Children in London to be offered polio vaccine in bid to stop outbreak

No cases have been confirmed, but by inviting children for either a booster or a catch-up jab, officials hope to stop it spreading and prevent any cases of paralysis - Geraint Vincent reports

Almost a million children aged one to nine across London are to be offered a polio vaccine to try to prevent the spread of the virus. Health officials warned there has been “some transmission” of the virus in the capital after detecting poliovirus in sewage samples. Polio, which was officially eradicated in the UK in 2003, can cause paralysis in rare cases and can be life-threatening. While there have been no confirmed cases, officials sounded the alarm over the rising number of samples found in sewage in London. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), working with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), found poliovirus in sewage samples in London boroughs including:

  • Barnet

  • Brent

  • Camden

  • Enfield

  • Hackney

  • Haringey

  • Islington

  • Waltham Forest

It was first detected at Beckton sewage treatment works earlier this year. Officials said levels of the virus found in sewage and their “genetic diversity” suggests “some virus transmission in these boroughs”. As a result officials are to launch a rapid vaccination programme among youngsters in London, where there are lower levels of uptake of the vaccine.

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A polio virus particle. Credit: AP

What are the symptoms of polio?

Most people who contract polio do not have symptoms, according to the NHS.

Some people get mild, flu-like symptoms, such as:

  • a high temperature

  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)

  • headaches

  • being sick (vomiting)

  • a stiff neck

  • muscle pain

To learn more, visit the NHS website.

Vaccination rates in the capital are well below recommended levels and there is a risk that “under-vaccinated” children can pass the infection to others. Youngsters can be responsible for “silent transmission” of polio, which means that they may have the virus but not show any symptoms. Children in London aged one to nine who are not yet fully vaccinated will be offered a catch-up dose, while those who have already been fully vaccinated will be offered a booster.

ITV News Correspondent Geraint Vincent explains why preventive measures are being taken after the Polio virus was detected in sewage

Youngsters will be offered a jab within the next four weeks with officials hoping to vaccinate all those invited within six weeks. Officials hope a rapid vaccination campaign will boost antibodies to a high degree which should interrupt transmission of the virus. The NHS in London will contact parents when it their child’s turn to get the vaccine, with parents urged to take up the offer “as soon as possible”. The programme will start in the areas where the virus has been detected in sewage and then be extended across all London boroughs. Other countries, including the USA and Belgium, already offer an additional dose of the polio vaccine. The virus has not yet been found outside London but officials are stepping up surveillance across the rest of the country. The UKHSA said that nationally the overall risk of paralytic polio is considered “low”.

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