Polio Vaccine

About polio

Polio (poliomyelitis) is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, which belongs to a group of viruses that affect the intestines. The virus spreads from person to person through contact with body fluids, usually feces, but also saliva or mucus. Once it enters the digestive system, it multiplies and leaves the body in the stool. Most people who get the virus (80%-90%) do not have any symptoms. About 10%-20% of people may have fever, headache, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or sore throat. In rare cases, the virus can cause meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord).

The most serious problem, which happens in less than 1% of cases, is paralysis. This occurs when the virus moves from the digestive system into the bloodstream and damages the nervous system. Paralysis usually affects the legs and may cause severe muscle pain. How serious the paralysis is depends on how many nerve cells are affected.

There is no cure for polio, and any paralysis it causes is permanent. The only way to prevent it is through vaccination. Good hygiene is also important: wash your hands well with soap and water after using the bathroom, before preparing food, and after changing diapers.

The influence of the vaccine in Israel: in 1957, Israel incorporated the polio vaccine with dead viruses, preventing morbidity, into routine vaccination program. In 1961, a live attenuated vaccine, which also prevents polio spread, was added. The last reported case of polio occurred in 1988, with 16 cases of paralysis. In 2005, a decision was made to discontinue the use of the live attenuated vaccine. However, due to a resurgence of polio cases, its administration was reinstated in 2013.

In February 2022, a case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 3 (cVDPV3) was confirmed. The virus, secreted in the feces where it multiplied, underwent a genetic change. When a live attenuated virus reaches an unvaccinated population, it may cause illness among unvaccinated individuals. Sewage findings indicated widespread transmission of this polio type. A national campaign administering both dead and live attenuated vaccines successfully halted the spread, and no additional paralysis cases have been reported since then.

In June 2022, a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was confirmed in sewage in the Jerusalem region. This type of virus is spreading to numerous regions in Israel, from the Golan Heights in the north to Beer Sheva in the south. In March 2025, the administration of the live attenuated polio vaccine was discontinued in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and following the cessation of vaccine production by manufacturers recognized in Israel.

The incidence of polio in Israel is related to similar cases around the world. Recent years have seen a rise in polio cases, affecting various regions, including African countries, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Consequently, vaccination today goes beyond safeguarding against a transient threat; it becomes an investment in future protection and peace of mind.

Vaccine completion: if your child is in school age and has not been given a polio vaccine, which is included in the birth to 18 years immunization schedule, you can contact the school nurse to schedule the vaccine completion. In addition, the health staff of the school will inform you of complementary vaccines your child needs and help you schedule them with your consent.

More on vaccination completion

• Redness and pain at the injection site and local swelling or in the entire limb: you can apply a clean cloth soaked in lukewarm water to the injection site and avoid massaging the area.
• Fever: you can administer an analgesic to help relieve pain and reduce fever.
• General discomfort: lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, consistent crying, diarrhea, restlessness, drowsiness; continue breastfeeding and slowly give the baby water on a spoon.
• Rare side effects: seizures appearing up to three days after vaccination. These seizures are usually related to the fever and are not considered dangerous or cause permanent nerve damage.

Further information about vaccine side effects

If your child experiences symptoms after getting vaccinated in school, please inform the school nurse or the school's preferred healthcare provider.

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