The Hanoi Department of Health has issued a plan on the administration of the second dose of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) to children under 1 year old in the expanded immunization program.

Vaccination is expected to take place starting in November 2022 or immediately after the vaccine arrives.

Polio is said to be one of the ten most feared diseases of mankind, but it can be prevented with a vaccine. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Hanoi has set a target that 90% of children from 9 to 12 months receiving the first dose of IPV will be injected with the second dose in the expanded vaccination program. The vaccination is held at all health stations in the city's communes, wards, and districts.

The health department has tasked the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) with developing detailed plans and guiding district medical centers on communication.

The communication should focus on mothers with children between 9 and 12 months, offering content such as the benefits of vaccination, the schedule, the monitoring guidelines, and the detection of reactions after vaccination.

The Hanoi CDC provides professional guidance to all levels on receiving and preserving vaccines, carrying out the vaccination, monitoring and dealing with unexpected incidents after vaccination, and instructing units to review the cold chain for vaccine preservation.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), polio, or poliomyelitis, is a disabling and potentially deadly disease. The poliovirus causes it. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis (can’t move parts of the body).

There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with safe and effective vaccination. IPV vaccine is given by a shot in the arm or leg, depending on the person’s age, WHO said.