How do you prevent Polio?

Vaccination is the best way to prevent polio.
Children
Today, most children in the US receive 4 doses (injections) of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) according to the following schedule:

• 2 months old
  
• 4 months old
  
• 4 months old
  
• Between 6 and 18 months
  

IPV is 90% effective after 2 doses and 99% effective after 3 doses. Because the vaccine contains inactivated (killed) poliovirus, it cannot cause polio. The most common side effects are pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site; fever, loss of appetite, fussiness and drowsiness.

Adults

Most adults do not need the polio vaccine because they were vaccinated as children. But there are 3 groups of adults who should consider vaccination because they are at higher risk than the general adult population.

• People who are traveling to areas of the world where polio still commonly occurs
  
• Laboratory workers who might handle poliovirus
  
• Health-care workers treating patients who may have polio