Health
Polio outbreak: Are vaccines still required? How do you contract the disease? Here’s what to know – NJ.com
A case of polio has been discovered in New York, marking the first time the disease has been reported in the U.S. in nearly a decade.
Here’s what you need to know about polio and how to protect yourself from the disease.
What is polio? How do you contract polio?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), polio is a virus that can affect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis, which can lead to permanent disability and death.
Polio is a very contagious virus that is spread through person-to-person contact, and the virus often lives in a person’s throat or intestines.
Polio only infects people and is spread through the feces or droplets of a sneeze or cough from an infected person.
How do I protect myself from polio? Are polio vaccines still required in the U.S.?
The CDC recommends that people should start getting vaccinated against polio starting as infants. The organization says people should be administered four shots starting at 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 through 18 months old and 4 through 6 years old.
Most adults do not need the polio vaccine because they were vaccinated as children. But there are some cases, according to the CDC, where some adults who are at-risk should consider getting vaccinated:
- If you are traveling to a foreign country with high risk of polio transmission
- You work in a laboratory and are handling specimens that contain the poliovirus
- You are a healthcare worker treating patients who might have polio, or you have close contact with someone who was infected with the poliovirus
The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is the only type of polio vaccine that is administered in the U.S.
What are the polio vaccination requirements for kids in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, children entering a daycare program or preschool must have a minimum of three doses of a polio vaccine by the time they turn 18 months old, according to the NJ Department of Health.
For kindergarten or first grade, children must have three to four doses of a polio vaccine. For second grade or higher, children must have a minimum of three doses.
However, students 18 years of age and older are exempt from this requirement.
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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
Health
Reports: Fungus CANDIDA AURIS has infected at least 2377 in the U.S. | Latest World News | WION – WION
“I’m not surprised.”
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) Chief Nursing Officer Rita Isley explained to CityNews 570 in an interview why she’s not at all shocked by the 50 per cent increase in whooping cough (or pertussis) cases in Wellington and Dufferin counties.
“The main reason why is that during the pandemic, we had multiple lockdowns, but we also had limited access to in-person visits with our primary care provider for a variety of reasons. With that happening, a lot of our [patients] needed to get routine vaccines and whooping cough is part of our routine vaccine schedule, particularly for children. We are expecting that, because they are behind, that we have lower immunity in our community.”
The total number of cases reported by WDGPH was 18, but that can rise quickly considering how easy the bacterial infection can spread.
The disease affects the respiratory tract, and starts with symptoms like runny nose and cough. It spreads through droplets that are sprayed when someone sneezes, coughs or even talks.
The illness can also get dangerous when the coughs get more frequent and severe. Isley said it can be difficult to catch your breath in between coughs, which can lead to gagging, vomiting or loud “whoops.”
Whooping cough can be especially serious for infants, children and those with compromised lungs. In severe cases, it can result in hospitalization or even death.
“This illness can last upwards of 6 to 20 days,” said Isley. “With this disease, what we’re looking for is a cold that lasts longer and a circumstance where the cough has started and it is continuing to get worse. Anyone that has symptoms that are staying the same up to 9-10 days really should be getting seen by their primary care provider.”
Luckily, the disease can be treated with a vaccine, and Isley encourages everyone, including pregnant women in their third trimester, to book appointments to stop the spread of the illness in the region.
Isley also asks that adults and children stay home with colds, and follow the usual public health unit advice of washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes, and not sharing food and drinks.
The next community update with whooping cough case numbers is in the works and could come sometime this week.
If you need to get your child caught up on vaccinations, you can book a K-12 immunization appointment with WDGPH by calling 1-800-265-7293 ext. 7006.
By Staff
Posted March 21, 2023 8:31 am
A new report that looks at the prevalence of marketing to children inside grocery stores and restaurants suggests regulation is needed to help reduce unhealthy food temptations.
The report funded by Heart and Stroke audited displays at more than 2,000 restaurants and 800 stores across Canada and says children may be bombarded with messages that make junk food seem appealing.
Researchers found nearly 53 per cent of stores had “junk food power walls” at checkout aisles, which it says are prime areas to market to kids because products are placed within their reach.
The research says that placement encourages “pester power” — when children nag or pester their parents to make impulse purchases.
University of Waterloo associate professor Leia Minaker says designs and themes such as “magic, adventure and zoo animals” are also commonly seen in beverage and ice cream fridges.
The report says healthy checkout aisle policies and prohibiting toy giveaways with children’s meals could help reduce consumption of unhealthy food.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
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