Polio: Symptoms, Where It Is Still Found and Travel Booster Advice

In short: Polio is a viral infection, spread mainly through contact with infected faeces or contaminated food and water, that can occasionally cause permanent paralysis. Wild poliovirus now circulates only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but vaccine-derived strains still cause outbreaks in other countries. In the UK, polio protection comes from the routine childhood vaccines, and travellers to areas with polio risk are advised to have a booster if their last dose was ten or more years ago.

This guide, written by a Ready Health prescribing pharmacist and based on UKHSA, NaTHNaC (TravelHealthPro), WHO and NHS guidance, explains how polio spreads, its symptoms and when a travel booster is needed.

What is polio?

Poliomyelitis (polio) is caused by poliovirus, which infects the gut and can, in a small number of people, invade the nervous system. It mainly affects children under five but can infect anyone who is not immune. The virus spreads from person to person, mostly through the faecal-oral route (for example via unwashed hands or contaminated food and water) and less often through droplets from the throat.

Where is polio still found?

Global vaccination has reduced polio from more than 125 countries in 1988 to wild poliovirus transmission in just two: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Wild cases still number in the dozens each year there.

Separately, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus can emerge in communities with low vaccination coverage where oral (live) polio vaccine is used. In 2026, outbreaks have been reported in several countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and the Central African Republic. Polio remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under WHO's International Health Regulations.

The UK is polio-free, but in 2022 vaccine-derived poliovirus was found in London sewage, which led to a booster campaign for children in London. This showed why keeping vaccination rates high matters.

What are the symptoms of polio?

Most people infected with poliovirus have no symptoms at all. When symptoms do occur, usually 3 to 21 days after infection, they may include:

• fever, sore throat and headache
• tiredness, nausea or vomiting
• neck or back stiffness and muscle pain

Fewer than 1 in 100 infected people develop paralysis, usually of the legs. Among those with paralysis, a proportion die when the muscles used for breathing are affected. Some survivors develop post-polio syndrome many years later, with new weakness and fatigue. There is no cure for polio, so prevention is essential.

How can I protect myself from polio when travelling?

• Make sure your polio vaccinations are up to date before travel.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before eating.
• Choose food and drink carefully, particularly where sanitation is poor.

Which polio vaccine is used in the UK?

The UK uses inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), given by injection. It contains no live virus, so it cannot cause polio. Oral polio vaccine (drops) has not been used in the UK since 2004. IPV is always given as part of a combined vaccine:

Do I need a polio booster before travel?

UK guidance recommends a polio booster for travellers going to areas with recent polio transmission if their last dose was ten or more years ago. Anyone who has never completed a course should start or continue one before travelling.

Under WHO temporary recommendations, some polio-affected countries may require proof of recent polio vaccination when residents or long-stay visitors (typically those staying four weeks or more) leave the country. The dose usually needs to be given between four weeks and twelve months before departure. Requirements change, so check the TravelHealthPro country page for your destination and ask for your vaccination to be recorded on an International Certificate of Vaccination if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Is polio still a risk in 2026?

Yes, in some parts of the world. Wild polio persists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and vaccine-derived outbreaks continue in several other countries, mostly in Africa.

I had polio drops as a child. Am I still protected?

The oral vaccine gave good protection, but if you are travelling to a risk area and your last polio-containing vaccine was over ten years ago, a booster is recommended.

Can the UK polio vaccine cause polio?

No. The injected vaccine used in the UK contains inactivated virus and cannot cause the disease.

Do I need a polio certificate for Hajj?

Pilgrims travelling directly from the UK usually do not, but those arriving from or transiting through countries with polio circulation may need proof of vaccination. Check current Saudi requirements before booking.

Key takeaways

• Most polio infections cause no symptoms, but a small number cause permanent paralysis.
• Wild polio is now found only in Afghanistan and Pakistan; vaccine-derived outbreaks occur elsewhere.
• The UK uses an injected, inactivated vaccine within combined vaccines.
• Travellers to risk areas need a booster if their last dose was ten or more years ago.

Sources and further reading

• TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC): Polio
• UKHSA Green Book, Chapter 26: Polio
• NHS: Polio
• Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Last reviewed: October 2026 by Shamir Patel, Independent Prescribing Pharmacist, Ready Health. This article is general information and does not replace advice from your own clinician.

Not sure whether your polio protection is up to date? Ready Health in Standish offers travel health consultations for people in Wigan, Chorley, Horwich and Bolton, and you can read more about our diphtheria, tetanus and polio travel vaccination service. A clinician will check your history and advise what is appropriate. Book a travel health consultation or call 01257 676001.