Jersey's Public Health Director issues polio vaccine advice to parents

Jersey's Director of Public Health is asking parents to check that their children have been vaccinated against polio.

It comes as officials in London announced a rapid immunisation programme for those aged between one and nine to stop the disease spreading there after the virus was spotted in a number of sewage samples.

Speaking to ITV News, Professor Peter Bradley says any risk of the disease spreading in Jersey is low as the island has a very high level of immunisation, but they are calling on people to check that vaccine records are up-to-date.

He explained: "We're obviously watching polio rates as we would do routinely.

"There's no need for us to take any action at the moment but we're aware of the developments.

"We would like parents to check the vaccination record of their children, just to make sure they've been vaccinated."

Professor Bradley added that they can monitor diseases through waste water but at the moment they would rely on cases through normal reporting.

There are currently no known cases of polio in the Channel Islands.