“Were you vaccinated for polio? Do you think I was vaccinated for polio,” I asked my boyfriend two nights ago, as a part of my typical daily concern rambling.
And, as it turns out, I’m not the only person asking this question.
On July 21st the New York State Health Department discovered the first case of polio in the United States, in Rockland County, a suburb of New York City. On August 12th, the state announced that polio was found in wastewater.
Because none of us are really mentally or physically prepared for another plague, the news caused quite a stir.
Google searches for polio have skyrocketed in the days since the New York case was revealed and have surged even higher since the wastewater discovery.
Being Black and a journalist (i.e. naturally cautious and curious), I’ve decided to save you all some Googling and bring you information from some credible sources about what this means for you.
Polio is a highly infectious virus that in 90 percent of the population causes either mild or no symptoms, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The virus has an incubation period that can range from 4 to 35 days.
Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. Those initial symptoms generally last for 2 to 10 days, and in almost all cases lead to a complete recovery.
However in cases where patients don’t recover, paralysis can occur which in 5 to 10 percent of paralysis cases, can lead to death, according to WHO.
So, with that terrifying revelation. we had to ask: What can you do to protect yourself?
Well, first like with COVID-19, making sure you’re vaccinated is the first line of defense.
According to the CDC, 92.6 percent children over the age of 24 months had received three doses or more of the polio vaccine as of 2019. (Yay: Vaccines!)
In New York, where the virus was detected, children are required to get the vaccine before they start school.
But if you want to be extra sure that you’re vaccinated, Jill Foster, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the University of Minnesota Medical School, told CNBC that you can search for “IPV” on your childhood immunization records.
I.P.V stands for inactivated polio vaccine. You’re going to want to make sure that you have four doses of the polio vaccine to ensure optimal protection.
Other than vaccinations, the New York Health Department says that basic hygiene is your best friend.
Washing your hands before eating and after getting off the subway (ok, I added that one, but seriously guys), are all good ways to keep yourself safe.