Vaccination the best way to prevent dangerous polio
AUGUST 6-12 is National Polio Awareness Week in South Africa – a campaign that aims to raise awareness about immunisation and the prevention of polio.
According to the Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA), a dangerous disease such as polio, which has serious complications especially in small children, can be prevented through immunisation.
“Although the last case of polio was reported in South Africa in 1989, other parts of the world still have frequent outbreaks and as long as there are still cases of polio anywhere in the world, this highly contagious disease can easily be imported and spread within South Africa if all children have not been vaccinated,” ICPA chief executive Mark Payne said.
The ICPA offers the following advice on what polio is, how it is spread, who is at risk and how to protect yourself from the disease. What is polio?
Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. Children younger than five years old are more likely to contract the virus What causes polio?
Polio virus is often transmitted from person to person through faecal matter. People living in areas with limited access to running water or flush toilets often get the virus from drinking water contaminated by human waste that contains the virus.
The virus can be spread by contaminated food or water or direct contact with another infected person. Pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, such as HIVpositive people, and young children are the most susceptible to the polio virus. Recognising the symptoms of polio
It is estimated that 95 to 99 percent of infected polio patients are asymptomatic. In the other 5 percent of polio cases symptoms can range from mild to severe and include anything from tiredness, headaches and fever, to abnormal reflexes, problems swallowing and/or breathing, muscle spasms and sudden paralysis in extreme cases. How do you treat polio?
There is no cure for polio. Doctors can only treat the symptoms while the infection runs its course. How to prevent polio
According to the ICPA, the best way to prevent polio is to get vaccinated.
“An effective vaccine is available against polio and it is highly recommended that you visit your local independent pharmacy and speak to your pharmacist about the polio vaccine if you are uncertain as to whether or not your children are fully vaccinated against this preventable disease,” Payne said.