What Is Polio? Symptoms, Risks, and How Vaccines Help Protect You

Polio (short for poliomyelitis) is a serious viral infection that can cause paralysis and, in rare cases, death. Thanks to vaccines, polio is now almost eradicated—but it hasn’t completely disappeared. That’s why vaccination is still important, especially if you're travelling or working in high-risk areas.

Let’s explore what polio is, how it spreads, who’s at risk, and what vaccines are available in the UK.

🌍 Polio: The Basics

Polio is a highly infectious virus that mainly affects children under 5, although adults can be affected too. The virus spreads from person to person—usually via the faecal-oral route—often in areas with poor sanitation or contaminated food and water.

Once inside the body, the virus targets the central nervous system and, in very rare cases, can lead to permanent paralysis.

💡 Did you know? Thanks to global vaccination efforts, wild polio was reduced to just 6 cases worldwide in 2021.

🤒 Polio Symptoms

Most people who catch polio don’t even realise it—they have no symptoms at all. But in some cases, symptoms can appear within 3–21 days after exposure.

Common symptoms:

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Stiff neck

• Muscle pain

• Nausea

Serious complications:

• Paralysis (in less than 1% of cases)

• Death due to breathing muscle paralysis (5–10% of those paralysed)

Even though serious complications are rare, they can be life-changing or fatal—which is why vaccination is so important.

👶 Who’s at Risk?

Polio is still a problem in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It’s also a concern for:

• Young children under 5

• Travellers to areas where polio is still circulating

• Anyone who hasn’t completed their vaccine schedule

• Health workers or lab staff handling the virus

🛡️ Polio Prevention: Vaccination and Hygiene

1. Vaccination

Vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself and others. In the UK, we use the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), which doesn’t contain any live virus and is extremely safe.

🧒 It's part of the UK’s routine childhood immunisation schedule—with booster doses offered later in life.

2. Good hygiene practices

• Wash hands regularly

• Use safe drinking water

• Avoid food or drinks from unregulated sources when travelling

• Practise safe food handling

💉 Which Polio Vaccines Are Available in the UK?

Note: All vaccines are given as injections (not drops), and are considered safe and effective. OPV (oral polio vaccine) is no longer used in the UK due to rare risks of vaccine-associated paralytic polio.

✈️ Travel Advice: Do I Need a Polio Booster?

If you're heading to countries affected by polio—or those listed under temporary WHO recommendations—you might need a booster vaccine if:

• You haven’t had a full course of polio vaccinations

• It’s been 10 years since your last dose

• You’re working in healthcare or humanitarian aid abroad

👉 Check before you travel. At Ready Health in Standish, we offer up-to-date travel health advice and vaccinations, including polio boosters.

✅ Key Takeaways

💬 Book Your Polio Vaccine Today

Whether it’s part of your child’s routine immunisations or you're jetting off on holiday, we’ve got you covered.

📍 Visit us at Ready Health Clinic in Standish
🕐 Same-day appointments often available
🌍 Serving Wigan, Chorley, Horwich, and Bolton

📞 Call us or book online today.