NEW YORK CITY, Sept 13: The fast-moving Governor of the State of New York,
Ms Kathy Hochul on Friday declared a disaster emergency following detection
of poliovirus in wastewater samples in and around New York City. The declaration
for the entire State of New York is to boost polio vaccination. There is alarming
evidence the virus is spreading in communities asymptomatically.
A case of paralytic polio was identified in Rockland County in July 21 last.
The patient was an unvaccinated adult who developed symptoms of paralysis. This
was the first known infection in the US in nearly a decade.
In August 2022, poliovirus was found in NYC sewage samples. As investigation
continued, poliovirus was detected in sewage samples from four counties in the
New York metro area as well as in the city. The counties are Rockland, Orange,
Sullivan, and the latest, Nassau. These studies were done in April, May, June,
July and August.
Pharmacists, midwives and other health workers will join the drive to boost
the immunization rate. Those unvaccinated have been told to receive their shots
immediately. Certain category of people will also receive a single, lifetime
booster dose. They are people who might have had contact with someone infected
or thought to be infected with poliovirus or members of the infected person’s
household and the health workers concerned.
What is polio
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly contagious viral infection caused by a type
of enterovirus. It is characterized by paralysis or weakness in arms, legs or
both. There have been no cases of wild type polio acquired in the US since 1979,
the health department said.
Transmission & fatality
Polio spreads among people when the virus enters the mouth, typically through
hands or objects contaminated with the stool of an infected person. It is important
to wash your hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom or changing
diapers. It is also possible to spread the virus through saliva and respiratory
droplets.
A person can spread the virus before and up to two weeks after they first have
symptoms. However, patients can spread disease as long as the virus is in their
feces or saliva. It can spread from people even if they do not have any symptoms
(asymptomatic).
The virus also spreads asymptomatically as 70% of people infected do not show
symptoms, only 25% of those infected develop mild symptoms similar to the flu.
Only one in 100 people infected develop severe disease such as permanent paralysis.
Polio is fatal in 2% to 10% of people suffering from paralysis because the muscles
used to breathe are immobilized.
Symptoms
Most people infected with the virus do not have any symptoms. One in four
people with an infection will have flu-like symptoms, such as: Sore throat,
Fever, Tiredness, Nausea and stomach pain.One in 25 people with an infection
will get viral meningitis, and about one in 200 people will have paralysis.
Symptoms may start to appear three to six days after exposure. Paralysis can
occur between seven and 21 days after exposure.
Paralysis
Polio can leave you permanently unable to move parts of your body. It most
commonly paralyzes the legs. In severe cases, polio can paralyze the muscles
you use to breathe or swallow. This can cause death.
Treatment
There is no specific medicine for polio treatment.
Polio vaccination
All children should receive four doses of the polio vaccine. The first dose
is administered between 6 weeks and 2 months of age, the second dose is given
at 4 months, the third at 6 months to 18 months, and the fourth dose at 4 to
6 years old, a health advisory said. Adults who have only received one or two
doses should get the remaining doses.
Those starting the vaccine series late should also receive all the doses. People
who are not vaccinated can get polio at any age.
In the US, one can get the inactivated polio vaccine. This vaccine is safe
and effective. Side effects are mild, including soreness of the arm or leg at
the injection site. It cannot give polio or cause paralysis. The oral vaccine
may not be as effective as the strain has changed. The US stopped using the
oral vaccine more than two decades ago.
The polio vaccination rate is alarmingly low in some New York counties. The
vaccination rate is 60% in Rockland, 58% in Orange, 62% in Sullivan and 79%
in Nassau, according to the health department. The statewide average for polio
immunization is about 79%.
Most adults in the US do not need to be vaccinated against polio again because
they were already vaccinated as children.
Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson, who opened a new chapter in
space age last month by launching the first manned private flight
to the edge of space, flying in his own spaceplane, has
invited everyone to join his expedition of space travel and
experience the thrill of totally losing your weight (BMI = 0) and enjoy
the mind-blowing sight of the earth's curvatures from the orbit far above: 
Can we ask the vaccinator, "Do you pull back the plunger and
then push the vaccine? Do you Aspirate?" When the vaccination
for covid started there were reports of worrisome incidents of
adverse events post immunisation, the serious complaints being
non-specific blood clots. These related to viral vector vaccines of
human and non-human source: AstraZeneca and Janssen. How
did it happen. There are various views. But here is a suggestion
how simply it can be prevented. 
While the rationalists debunk the episode as a ploy to make up for
the losses in offerings during the corona lockdown, the believers
stick to their claim, they have seen it after all! The claim of
Shankaralinga temple resembles the miracle of Ganesha drinking
milk in Delhi way back in 1995. Although they belong to two
different branches of science. 
A pair of socks gifted to her by her niece displayed on her legs has done
the job for Gumball Poodle. The demand for 'Future is Female' is
skyrocketing indeed. What more could one ask for?
