What should you know about polio worldwide?

Poliovirus spreads mainly when material contaminated with infected stool reaches the mouth. Some infected people have no obvious symptoms; others develop fever, tiredness, headache, nausea, stomach upset or sore throat. In a small proportion of infections, the virus affects nerves and can cause sudden weakness or paralysis, often involving the limbs. Paralysis can interfere with breathing or swallowing.

A person can spread the virus before they realise they are ill. Good sanitation lowers exposure, but hygiene alone does not replace immunisation. A past infection does not make vaccination unnecessary without advice from a clinician.

Check that children in your household have received the recommended polio vaccine doses. If records are missing, contact a health centre to review the schedule rather than restarting or guessing. Wash hands carefully after using the toilet and before preparing food, and use safe drinking water. During travel or a local public-health alert, follow advice about additional vaccination and contact with health services.

Seek urgent medical help for new weakness, limpness, difficulty walking, trouble swallowing, or breathing difficulty, especially after fever or an infectious illness. A child who suddenly cannot move an arm or leg needs prompt assessment. Keep the person away from close contact with young children until a clinician gives advice, and mention recent travel, vaccination history and possible exposure.

Ask which polio doses are recorded, whether any are due, and whether travel changes the recommendation. You can also ask how to protect an infant who is not yet fully immunised and what symptoms should prompt same-day care.