You may have seen coverage in the media about the newly announced polio vaccination booster campaign by the NHS. This campaign is because the UK Health and Security Agency has detected polio in the sewage treatment works in London (it was previously eradicated in Europe in 2003).
Polio vaccinations form part of the routine immunisations schedule but due to the detection of polio in London the risk is now greater. Rarely, polio can lead to more serious symptoms that affect the brain and nerves, such as weakness in your muscles (paralysis), usually in the legs. This can happen over hours or days.
NHS England has asked practices in North and East London to offer booster vaccinations to all children aged 1 to 9 years old (as of 31st August 2022). All children in this group will be invited in due course in August and September even if up-to-date with the routine immunisations schedule. You do not need to call the surgery unless you have not been contact by the end of September.
Please note that children, even if older than the target age group, can be vaccinated if they are not fully immunised.