Polio Vaccine

Get your polio vaccine in Leicester and Nuneaton today!

Even though it’s not common nowadays due to vaccinations, polio is a severe viral infection that is vaccine-preventable.

A number of people with the infection don’t actually show any symptoms and won’t realize that they have the infection. But for others, the poliovirus leads to life-threatening temporary or permanent paralysis.

Polio has no cure, that’s why it’s critical to ensure that you and your family are fully vaccinated before travelling abroad.

What are the symptoms of polio?

Since most people who have the infection don’t show symptoms, they will fight it off without their knowledge.

A few people, however, will show symptoms associated with flu 3 to 21 days following the infection. These symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Headache
• Aching Muscles
• High temperatures
• Abdominal pain
• Feeling sick

The symptoms will normally go away within about one week.

In a few cases, polio can attack the spinal nerves and the base of the brain. This can lead to paralysis, typically in the legs, that progresses over some hours or even days.

Where is polio prevalent?

Because of routine vaccination programmes, the poliovirus has been eradicated in most regions across the globe. This includes America and Europe.

Nevertheless, polio is still a threat in some regions of the world including Afghanistan and Pakistan. Please use the country guide on the Travel Health Pro website to confirm if the country you are travelling to is a high risk for polio.

Polio vaccination

The polio vaccine in Leicester and Nuneaton is provided as part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme.

It’s usually administered in five separate doses by injection. You get the doses at:

• 8, 12, and 16 weeks – as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine
• 3 and 4 years – as part of the 4-in-1 (DTaP/IPV) pre-school booster
• 14 years – as part of the 3-in-1 (Td/IPV) teenage booster

If you plan to travel to a country that has polio, it’s vital that you get the vaccine.

Get in touch with Leicester Travel Clinic today to get your polio vaccine in Leicester and Nuneaton.