Polio Vaccine

Polio vaccine may prevent poliomyelitis that may occur with infection due to poliovirus.

Infection with poliovirus can cause the following: illness with sore throat and fever that may progress to a brain infection and cause paralysis.

Polio vaccine does not contain live virus. The vaccine works by triggering the body to make antibodies against the virus to provide a defense against potential infection.

Polio vaccine comes as a suspension (liquid) to be given intramuscularly (into a muscle) or subcutaneously (under the skin) by a healthcare provider.

Polio vaccine is given to children as 3 doses at ages 2, 4, 6 to 18 months of age, and at 4 to 6 years of age. It may be started as early as 6 weeks but then a booster dose is needed at 4 to 6 years ago (for a total of 4 doses). Doses should be separated by at least 4 weeks. Other age groups should receive the vaccine as recommended by their healthcare provider.

Tell your vaccine provider if you:

• have had an allergic reaction to this vaccine, any part of this vaccine, any other vaccine or any drug, food or substance. Tell your vaccine provider about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
• are ill with a fever or are immunosuppressed due to a medical condition or medication.
• are pregnant or breastfeeding.

In some cases, your health care provider may decide to postpone vaccination to a future visit.

Side effects that have been reported with polio vaccine include:

• redness, swelling, tenderness at the site of injection
• fever
• irritability, fussiness, crying
• vomiting, loss of appetite

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• rash, hives, difficulty breathing or swallowing

People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including vaccination. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy or have vision changes or ringing in the ears.

Adverse reactions should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your health care provider will usually file this report, or you can do it yourself. Visit https://vaers.hhs.gov or call 1-800-822-7967. VAERS is only for reporting reactions, and VAERS staff members do not give medical advice.

• Read the Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) that your vaccine provider will give you or you can obtain it at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/current-vis/index.html
• Ask your healthcare provider.
• Call your local or state health department.

• IPOL^®