New WHO Polio Vaccination Requirements for Travel by Residents of and Long-term Visitors to Countries with Active Polio Transmission On 5 May 2014, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) accepted the recommendations of an Emergency Committee, declaring the international spread of polio to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the authority of the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) and issued vaccination requirements for travelers in order to prevent further spread of the disease. IHR is an international agreement among countries to prevent, protect or control the international spread of disease. All countries have agreed to be bound by recommended activities under IHR. U.S. clinicians should be aware of possible new vaccination requirements for patients planning travel for greater than four weeks to countries with ongoing poliovirus transmission. The May 5 WHO statement names 10 such countries, three designated as “exporting wild poliovirus” (Cameroon, Pakistan and Syria [Syrian Arab Republic]) that should “ensure” recent (4 to 52 weeks before travel) polio boosters among all departing residents and long-term travelers (of more than 4 weeks), and an additional seven countries “infected with wild poliovirus” (Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia and Nigeria) that should “encourage” recent polio vaccination boosters among residents and long-term travelers. At this time, CDC is not aware of what specific steps will be taken by these 10 countries to comply with the PHEIC declaration. U.S. citizens who plan to travel to any of the polio infected countries should have documentation of a polio booster in their yellow International Certificate of Vaccination in order to avoid delays in transit. Background Currently 10 countries have active transmission of wild poliovirus (WPV) that could spread to other countries through international travel. From January through April 2014, months normally considered the low-transmission season for polio, the virus already has been carried to three countries: from Pakistan to Afghanistan, from Syria to Iraq, and from Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea. WHO considers this an “extraordinary event” and a public health risk to other countries. If the current spread of WPV continues, cases could multiply considerably as the high-transmission season has already begun. The consequences of further international spread are particularly acute today given that several countries with complex humanitarian emergencies or other major challenges are bordering the infected countries. For more information: • polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Emergency/PolioPHEICguidance.pdf
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 15:58:55 +0000
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