Community urged to protect young children from polio virus

Health experts have launched an urgent appeal to the parents in the community to make sure that young children are fully protected against the polio virus.

The appeal, timed to coincide with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, follows a recent case of polio discovered in New York, which has been linked to genetic analysis of virus samples discovered in Jerusalem and in London.

Last month it was confirmed that vaccine-derived poliovirus had been detected in sewage in Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.

Children aged between one to nine years-old across London, including those in the Jewish community, are now being invited for a booster dose of polio vaccine, or a catch-up dose if they have missed any routine doses.

Across London, childhood vaccination uptake is lower than the rest of the country.

In Camden, Barnet and Haringey, 80-89% of children have had the vaccine by 12 months, but in the borough of Hackney uptake is considerably lower.

The London Jewish Health Partnership recently held an immunisation workshop in collaboration with NHS health officials which included a focus on improving vaccine uptake with the Jewish community.

Dr Leonora Weil, public health consultant at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)  London, said:“During the Jewish holidays, we are raising awareness of how families can protect themselves from polio after poliovirus was recently detected in sewage samples in North and East London. This suggests that polio is spreading between closely linked individuals with the potential to spread further.

“Polio can be life threatening and have devastating consequences. That is why children aged 1-9 years old across London, including those in the Jewish community, are now being invited for a booster dose of polio vaccine, or a catch-up dose if they have missed any routine doses.

“This is especially important for Jewish communities as we gather together for the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as a recent case of polio in New York has been linked by genetic analysis to the poliovirus samples discovered in London and Jerusalem.

“It is important that we all act now and the London Jewish Health Partnership recently hosted an immunisation workshop which was attended by over 100 people from London, the UK and internationally.

” We heard voices from a wide range of Jewish and health organisations to explore how we work together and to focus on creative and practical solutions to improve childhood vaccine uptake in Jewish communities across London.

“Families can visit nhs.uk/polio-sites to find local vaccination centres and pharmacies providing vaccination and we would advise booking an appointment as soon as possible if you are contacted by your GP.”

Following initial findings at Beckton sewage treatment works earlier this year, 116 type 2 poliovirus (PV2) isolates were identified in 19 sewage London samples collected between February 8 and July 5.

Most are vaccine-like virus and only a few have sufficient mutations to be classified as vaccine derived poliovirus (VDPV2).

VDPV2 is of greater concern as it behaves more like naturally occurring “wild” polio and may, on rare occasions, lead to cases of paralysis in unvaccinated individuals.

In August Jewish News reported how the Global Polio Eradication Initiative confirmed the case of an Orthodox Jewish man – who was diagnosed with the polio virus near New York City in July – was genetically linked to samples collected in Britain and Israel in recent months.

The victim experienced paralysis, a hallmark of the disease, and had not been vaccinated against polio.