polio vaccine

The City of Columbia is committed to providing public health services that prevent epidemics and the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, promote healthy behaviors, prevent injuries and illness, assure the quality and accessibility of health services, monitor the health of the population, provide social services and promote and protect civil rights.

The Polio Vaccine

What is Polio?

An infectious disease, Polio is caused by a virus that lives in the throat and intestinal tract. Before the vaccine was introduced in 1955, Polio was very common and caused severe illness in thousands of people each year in the U.S. A majority of people who are infected with this virus have no symptoms however less then 1% develop paralysis that could result in a permanent disability.

Who should get the vaccine?

There are two different types of vaccine that helps protect you against polio: Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). Most people should get polio vaccine when they are children. Children get 4 doses of IPV, at these ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and booster dose at 4-6 years. OPV has not been used in the United States since 2000 but is still used in many parts of the world.

Where can I get the vaccine?

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services has the polio vaccine available . To be vaccinated, visit us.

Return to the Clinic & Nursing Webpage or the Columbia/Boone County Health Department Homepage.