The return of polio is also possible in Switzerland
Published: Friday, Oct 11th 2024, 13:00
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Polio, which has been eradicated in Switzerland since the 1990s, could return. This is shown by the situation in Gaza, as the organization Polio.ch writes. In Switzerland, a polio outbreak would be possible due to importation and low vaccination rates.
The risk of new cases of poliomyelitis, or polio for short, is very real in Switzerland, according to a press release issued by the Swiss Association of Paralyzed People on Friday to mark World Polio Day on October 28.
In particular, the migration movement from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only countries where the polio virus is still endemic, is contributing to this. To stop the spread of polio, a vaccination rate of 95% would be necessary for children under the age of eight.
According to the organization, only a third of the cantons achieve this rate. Vaccination coverage is lowest in the canton of Lucerne at 89%. In general, Central Switzerland is the part of the country with the highest risk.
"Very low" risk
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) confirms that Switzerland has a high vaccination rate. At the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency, the FOPH stated that the risk of introduction is "very low", but exists in view of the declining vaccination coverage in certain countries. The cantons have therefore been informed about the procedure in the event of infections.
Polio is a smear infection and spreads under poor hygienic conditions, for example through contaminated water and food. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a major vaccination campaign after the first case in 25 years occurred in Gaza.
The Swiss Association of the Paralyzed is an interest group for polio syndrome. It was founded in 1939, when poliomyelitis severely affected many children across the country. Vaccinations have only been available since the 1950s.
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