Who is being offered a polio booster?
All children aged 1 to 9 years in London need
to have a dose of polio vaccine now. For some
children this may be an extra dose of polio
vaccine, on top of their routine vaccinations.
In other children it may just bring them up to date.
Why is my child being offered
a polio booster?
Since February 2022, we have found a type 2
polio virus in sewage samples taken from north
London. This suggests that the virus is now
spreading between people. This has probably
happened because vaccine uptake for the infant
and toddler vaccinations in London is lower than
it should be.
By giving an extra polio vaccine dose we aim
to boost each child’s protection, starting with
the areas of London where the virus has been
detected. Boosting immunity in those who are
already vaccinated should also help to reduce
the risk of the virus continuing to spread.
