Vaccination rate dropped sharply, Vietnam again entered the group at high risk of polio infection

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (Ministry of Health) has just sent a document to localities about the IPV (polio prevention) vaccination for children born in 2021-2022˳

Accordingly, the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology emphasized that in 2021 and 2022, due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, implementing social distancing, many localities had to suspend regular vaccination˳ As a result, multi-vaccination rates are at their lowest level in 20 years˳

In which, the rate of bOPV vaccination and IPV injection for the whole year of 2021 was only 69˳4% and 80˳4%; in 2022, reaching 70˳1% and 89˳2%˳ The rate of injection of IPV 2nd dose reached 73%, leading to a decrease in the demand for these vaccines compared to the plan, increasing the stock of short-term IPV vaccines at all levels˳

In the context of low global vaccination rates for polio vaccines due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the world has recorded cases of wild poliovirus from endemic countries spreading to countries that have cleared it˳ disabled˳

During the November 2022 meeting, the World Health Organization (WHO) Committee for Confirmation of Elimination of Polio for the Western Pacific region classified Vietnam from the group of low-risk countries to the group of low-risk countries˳ There is a high risk of introduction of wild polio, or occurrence of cases of polio caused by a genetically modified virus˳

The Committee has recommended that Vietnam urgently restore the vaccination rate of vaccines in the Expanded Immunization Program, especially polio, measles and rubella vaccines˳ The Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology has written to request localities to review and propose subjects and needs of IPV vaccine to deploy additional injections for children born in 2021 and 2022 who have not received 2 full doses of this ingredient˳ disabled˳

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology confirmed that the current number of IPV vaccines completely meets the deployment needs of provinces/cities˳ Units review and organize immunization for children, the subjects of vaccination are children born in 2021 and 2022, the expected time is in the second quarter of 2023˳

Why do children still need to get enough vaccines even though polio was eradicated 22 years ago?

TTO – In Vietnam, polio has been eradicated since 2000, 22 years ago, but why do children still need to take the full dose? Why was the oral polio vaccine of three types (1, 2, 3) changed to the oral vaccine of two types (1, 3)?