Polio is an infection caused by a virus. Thanks to vaccination campaigns worldwide, the disease is almost eradicated, except in a few countries (at the moment Afghanistan, DR Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Somalia). To avoid the virus spreading from these countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has imposed some extra preventive measures.

All travelers (of all ages) staying more than 4 weeks in Afghanistan, Nigeria or Pakistan have to be vaccinated against polio at least 4 weeks and maximum 12 months before leaving one of these countries. Administration of the vaccine has to be documented in the International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis (on the pages 4 and 5 reserved for mandatory vaccines). For all travelers staying more than 4 weeks in DR Congo, Syria or Somalia, this supplementary vaccine is recommended but not obliged. The vaccine doesn’t necessarily have to be obtained in an official vaccination center for yellow fever.

Possible vaccines

• Imovax® Polio
• Revaxis®
• Boostrix-Polio®
• Tetravac®
• Infanrix-IPV ®
• Hexyon®
• Infanrix-Hexa ®

Links

• International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis
• The complete WHO recommendation