“Based on what we know about this case, and polio in general, the department of health strongly recommends that unvaccinated individuals get vaccinated or boosted with the FDA-approved IPV polio vaccine as soon as possible,” New York Health Commissioner Mary Bassett, MD, said in a statement.
Not much information about the case has been released yet, but here’s what we know:
- The case was detected in Rockland County, N.Y.
- Before July 21, the most recent U.S. polio case was reported in 2013
- Polio is highly contagious and most cases are asymptomatic, according to the CDC
- Four polio vaccines are required for children before they begin school, with the first shot recommended for 2-month-olds
- The U.S. has been “polio-free” since 1979, meaning no polio cases have originated in the U.S. for more than 40 years, according to the CDC
Rockland County plans to launch a polio vaccination clinic July 22 for any residents who don’t have the polio vaccine.
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