Polio Fear: All the Details
Polio virus presence and vaccination are hot topics among the public. We've gathered the details for you and tried to organize the chaos.
Recently, we've been witnessing a growing concern over vaccinations against polio. It's impossible to ignore the widespread panic as the virus is found in sewage across the country. So what exactly is polio and the Ministry of Health's 'Two Drops' campaign? Who needs to be vaccinated? And why are some people opposed to it? Find out in the following article..
Polio is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus is contagious and spreads from person to person, primarily among children. It enters the body through the mouth and exits through feces. Most people show no symptoms, and only one in a thousand unvaccinated individuals will suffer paralysis. Polio affecting the spinal cord is the most familiar form, recognized by asymmetric paralysis, often impacting the legs. Severe cases, though rare, can involve respiratory muscle paralysis leading to death.
Historically, polio was a common disease globally, causing many deaths. However, only 28 carriers have been detected worldwide recently, with 26 being vaccinated children, an infant under two months, and an adult around 70. So far, no one has contracted it in Israel.
Generally, the virus persists in Asia and Africa and has not been fully eradicated despite numerous efforts. Recently, it was detected in Israeli sewage, particularly in the south, prompting the Health Ministry to vaccinate children in the area with the live-attenuated polio vaccine. After its detection in sewage in places such as Rahat, Tel Sheva, Kuseife, Ar'ara, Tel Shoket, Kiryat Gat, Ramla, Lod, Horashim, Jaljulia, Kfar Bara, Tanubot, and nearby regions, it was decided to vaccinate all children in Israel aged two months to nine years against the virus, estimated to cover about a million children.
"The spread is not like wildfire," reassured a senior Health Ministry official, adding, "In the south, it's very critical. The center is less urgent." If you're wondering why only children are vaccinated and not adults, it's because the group transmitting the disease is children. Adults have previously been given vaccines containing the live-attenuated virus and thus don't require another dose. Importantly, only children born from January 1, 2004, are targeted for vaccination since they were only given the inactivated polio vaccine, which is less effective than the live-attenuated vaccine, necessitating another dose soon.
Vaccination and Disease Identification:
The most effective way to prevent polio is vaccination. Another measure is maintaining hygiene standards, especially washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after using the restroom and before handling food, or after changing a diaper, as the virus enters the body orally through fecal contact.
Like all vaccines, the polio vaccine sometimes has side effects, such as fever. However, in general, explains Prof. Nati Klar, Chair of the Israeli Association for Infectious Diseases, in an interview with Channel 2 News, it is a safe vaccine administered to tens of millions over many years..
Prof. Klar also notes that the initial sign today is diarrhea, but it's not a definitive indicator. The infection ratio is high, with only a small fraction developing neurology-related symptoms. In rare cases, the disease causes paralysis of limbs, loss of breath, and even death. If concerned, consult a physician. If already infected, no medical intervention is available. Routine fecal tests for viruses also check for polio.".
Amidst the widespread calls for vaccination against this virus, resistance also comes from mothers wary of vaccinating their children. The movement began when the group "Mothers Say No to the Attenuated Polio Vaccine" launched a Facebook page. The group's founder, Shiri Gorman, claims the vaccine was discontinued in 2005 for causing active polio in dozens of children. The page features statements from senior doctors warning against the vaccine, such as, "The live vaccine contains live polioviruses that can spread and cause an active and dangerous outbreak," Gorman wrote on Facebook, "Every mother has the right to say 'no'."
However, Dr. Michael Gadelwitz, Southern District Physician at the Health Ministry, along with many other physicians, claims that"this is a safe and essential vaccine administered after much contemplation and consultation with top experts globally. The decision was reached with utmost seriousness." Prof. Nati Klar also states, "The risk of contracting the disease from the vaccine is virtually zero."
The campaign cost the state approximately one million shekels. Each vaccine dose costs one shekel, totaling a million for a million doses. Currently, funding comes from the Health Ministry's budget, but it's estimated that post-campaign, additional budget approval will be needed from the Treasury. Only at the campaign's end will the full cost, including overtime for nurses and staff, and awareness campaigns, be known..
For a list of Tipat Halav centers, visit the Health Ministry's website or call the Health Call Center at *5400.
