Over a decade after it has been declared free,
Europe is facing the risk that they may again have a polio issue. The virus was
recently found if the sewers of Israel. The virus was identified is over 90
sewer samples and in over 40 feces samples of people that live near the sewers.
Although there has not been any sign of poliovirus in Europe, there is a
possibility that the disease has been reestablished in Europe. The traveling
between the two countries makes the reestablishment very possible. “Frequent travel between Israel and Europe has
created “a likelihood that poliovirus may be imported and re-established” in
the European Union and the European Economic Area, the ECDC said.” The possibility
that someone who has had the poliovirus vaccine can catch the virus is very low
but it is high when it comes to people who have not yet gotten the vaccine.
When I read this article I thought about my own
medical records and vaccination requirements in the US. Before preparing to go
to college I never knew anything about various vaccines aside from the flu shot.
When I think about my shot record I realize that the vaccine for polio is
mandatory in America. I then think about the medical processes in Europe,
Israel, and other developing countries. I decided to see if the vaccination
requirements in Europe included polio. I noticed that only some area made the
vaccination mandatory while others made it mandatory. “Vaccination against
polio is mandatory for both children and adults in 12 countries; diphtheria and
tetanus vaccination in 11 countries and hepatitis B vaccination in 10
countries. For eight of the 15 vaccines considered, some countries have a mixed
strategy of recommended and mandatory vaccinations.” I began to consider the
history of polio in Europe. In 2002 Europe was declared polio free. That may be
the case that some people are not currently and it is no longer mandatory in
some areas.
Khadijah Tucker
9/27/2013
4:58
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