Polio-Free World in Sight as Largest Vaccine Rollout in History Kicks Off
Next week marks the beginning of the largest and fastest globally coordinated rollout of a vaccine into routine immunization programs in history.This effort will provide better protection for children against polio, particularly those most vulnerable to infection.
155 countries and territories around the world will stop using the trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV), which protects against all three strains of wild poliovirus, and replace it with bivalent OPV (bOPV), which protects against the remaining two wild polio strains, types 1 and 3.
This transition, referred to as the global vaccine “switch,” is possible because type 2 wild polio has been eradicated.
The switch must be globally synchronized because if some countries continue to use tOPV it could increase the risk of the spread of type 2 poliovirus to those no longer using tOPV. The switch is the first major step toward the eventual removal of all OPV after wild polio transmission has been stopped.
“When Rotary started the campaign to end polio, more than 350,000 children were paralyzed every year by this deadly virus, and over the years The Rotary Club of Kirkcudbright with the tremendous help and support of people in the area including schools and businesses have been proud to be part of this campaign. Only last month our most recent concert with the students from Kirkcudbright Academy raised £718.
Thank to all for your continued support.
