Protecting kids from polio, an ancient virus as life-threatening as COVID-19
The Philippines found itself in shock early August with the news of an 11-month-old child from Bataan dying of COVID-19. Just when everyone thought the disease didn’t infect the youth (below 18 years) as much as adults, the “hypertransmissible” Delta variant is being held responsible for the current surge in cases among the younger end of the population.
In an article by The Atlantic, for example, the US reported around 72,000 cases in kids—which makes up a fifth of the known COVID-19 infections across the country.
Parents like myself have since become more protective and, alas, paranoid.
Thus, no other time in history than now should we enlighten ourselves more about these diseases. As parents, it is our duty after all to be aware of other threats that could endanger our kids.
Among these viruses known to be after children since time immemorial is polio. The poliovirus has a wide range of symptoms, with paralysis and deformity as the most serious. In 2019, after almost two decades, the country saw a re-emergence, listing two reports of polio infections.
Is polio still a threat? Parents like myself are now asking.
In these times where our children are at much more risk, I got to know more about the equally dangerous virus on our recent “Pamilya Talk” episode, straight from our guest specialists: Dr. Kim Patrick Tejano (National Immunization program director from the Department of Health); Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho (Director IV at the DOH’s Health Promotion Bureau and Disease Prevention and Control Bureau); and Ara Casas-Tumuran (community manager of vaccine-advocating Facebook group Team Bakunanay).
Where did polio come from?
Polio (poliomyelitis) has been around for thousands of years, with Egyptian prehistoric art thought to depict people with shrunken limbs and children with canes as ones infected with polio.
What are the symptoms?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 72 out of 100 cases show no visible symptoms. The CDC adds that 1 out of 4 exhibits flu-like symptoms: Sore throat, fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, and stomach pain.
While these mild symptoms last two to five days before going away on its own, there are far worse symptoms affecting the brain and spinal cord. According to the CDC, these are: Paresthesia (sensation of “pins and needles” in the legs), Meningitis (infection/swelling of the membranes covering the spinal cord and/or brain, occurring in about 1 in 25 polio cases); and Paralysis (immovability of some body parts affecting 1 in 200 cases).
Of the mentioned symptoms, paralysis is the most severe as it can lead to permanent disability and even death. Between 2 and 10 in 100 people paralyzed from polio die, with the virus affecting the muscles needed for breathing, adds CDC.
Dr. Ho stresses how the virus can live in a child’s body up until adulthood.
Calling it the post-polio syndrome, she detailed, “Akala natin, normal na impeksyon lang. Ang problema, kumbaga traydor ang poliovirus. So, pupunta ito sa mga ugat sa nervous system na siyang (responsable) para makagalaw ang mga kamay (at paa) natin. May mga cases na wala kang impeksyon pero lalabas sya 15 to even 30 years after, so parang natutulog yung virus sa katawan. It can be mild na nag-wo-worsen. Irreversible ‘pag nasira yung ugat. Di na sya maaayos. Kaya prevention dapat tayo.”
Why are kids the most prone to polio?
Whereas the coronavirus is transmitted through direct contact, the poliovirus is transferred by fecal-oral route. In connection, since children are less likely to be mindful of their personal hygiene, they are more susceptible to viruses. Polio has since been known to be highly infectious among kids five and below.
What can parents do to protect their kids from polio?
The DOH thus advocates parents to vaccinate their kids as early as possible, to impede any life-threatening situation caused by the poliovirus. The oral polio vaccine (OPV), meant to be ingested, is done in three doses (1 1/2 month, 2 1/2 months, 3 1/2 months). Meanwhile, the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), administered via injection, is in two doses (3 1/2 months, 9 months).
The DOH highly advises completing all doses for both vaccines to ensure polio protection. The agency conducts vaccinations in health centers and clinics across the country—for free.
How successful are polio vaccines?
In 1988, the World Health Organization captained the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), which would be history’s largest international public health project. That time, 125 countries with endemic polio altogether tallied 350,000 cases a year.
Besides contact tracing and further studies, the GPEI employed a strengthened childhood immunization program through oral vaccines. In 2020, more than 18 billion have since been saved from the virus.
What happened to the Philippines’ polio outbreak in 2019?
Low vaccination rates most likely led to the polio infections from two years ago. With an aggressive immunization program, the DOH has since been on a mission to eradicate the disease once more. In June 2021, WHO and UNICEF Philippines announced the good news: The country is polio-free once again!
The DOH, however, reiterates that unvaccinated children remain at risk of polio. Hence, it calls on parents to seek out advice from health authorities through proper channels in getting a vaccine schedule.
What are the government’s next efforts in ensuring the PH stays polio-free?
It’s a little tricky since much of the healthcare efforts are already poured into the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination. But the DOH vows it is giving tantamount priority to its polio program.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang pagbibigay ng bakuna sa mga health centers at private clinics. Kahit na may banta ng COVID, patuloy pa rin ang pagbibigay serbisyo ng mga local health worker at frontliner sa mga bata,” Dr. Tejano said. “The plan is to engage our private sector. We have to weigh in kasi nakakatakot pa rin ang exposure sa COVID.”
Dr. Ho said the “catchup vaccination campaign” will kick off after the recent quarantine. It will involve private practitioners (midwives, med students, nursing students) with provided modes of transportation en route to the vaccination sites, she added.
“Kailangan all hands on deck tayo.”
In the meantime, Dr. Tejano advises that parents can always vaccinate their children through private clinics. What’s important is to get it done as soon as possible. Encountering some delay in the schedule? Worry not, Dr. Tejano adds, as vaccines still remain effective even after the four-week interval.
How vaccinating just one child can save other children’s lives
Like the principle behind taking the COVID-19 jab, vaccinating our children can only do good to the safety of both current and next generations.
As made more evident during the pandemic, keeping people happy and healthy is vital in ensuring a stable economy. GPEI has set a good example with this, recording a total of $27 billion as health cost savings since 1988.
Meanwhile, what we can also do as parents is to help inform other parents.
Casas-Tumuran, an online influencer and mom of one, said it perfectly on the show:
“Lalo na’t laganap ang fake news or misinformation. Masakit sa mata at masakit sa loob na makabasa ng mga ganito.”
“Mommies, wag po tayong matakot sa polio vaccines at kahit ano pang vaccines para sa ‘ting mga anak. Mas matakot tayo sa sakit na maaaring pong idulot sa ‘ting mga anak. Kahit nasa bahay, maari pa rin silang magkasakit. Mapipigilan lang ‘to sa bakuna. Magtiwala tayo sa bisa ng bakuna.”
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