Do adults need boosters for polio?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults in certain high-risk groups receive booster doses of the polio vaccine.

Individuals who should get a polio booster include:

- Travelers to polio-endemic countries or areas with recent outbreaks: Vaccination status should be checked, and they should be given additional fractional doses of OPV or an injectable polio vaccine (IPV) if they have an incomplete series.

- Laboratory workers who handle live poliovirus: They should receive a primary poliovirus vaccine series if unvaccinated and be given a booster dose before handling infectious poliovirus.

- Medical personnel involved in polio outbreak response or immunization campaigns in polio-endemic countries.

- People with weakened immune systems: Individuals with underlying medical conditions that impair immune function, such as HIV infection or those receiving immunosuppressive therapy, should receive inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) boosters every 10 years.

- Contacts of polio cases: Close contacts of people infected with poliovirus should be vaccinated with OPV or IPV within 72 hours of exposure and again 6-12 months later.

Consultation with a healthcare professional or referring to local vaccination guidelines is crucial to determine the need for a polio booster and the appropriate vaccine dose and schedule for specific individuals.