Vietnam is using the 3-type polio vaccine (types 1, 2 and 3 - tOPV), orally. However, in the world, there is a very small percentage of cases of oral polio that still result in paralysis, due to the reactivation of the vaccine virus, mainly the type 2 virus component in the tOPV vaccine.

The risk is very low, less than one case in 10 million doses administered, but to ensure that there are no more cases of polio, and to move towards global polio eradication, the World Health Organization (WHO) requires all countries to remove the type 2 poliovirus component from tOPV.

Following the recommendation of the World Health Organization, Vietnam will implement a plan to replace the 3-dose oral polio vaccine with the 2-dose oral polio vaccine from June, aiming to be polio-free.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, high vaccination rates have contributed to significantly reducing morbidity and mortality rates among Vietnamese children and women; reducing healthcare costs, and improving public health.

However, every year, 3 to 5% of children under 1 year old are still not fully vaccinated; about 10% of children 18 months old have not received booster shots of measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus vaccines. 5-10% of districts, mainly mountainous districts, remote and disadvantaged areas, have not yet reached the planned vaccination rate.

According to medical experts, polio is caused by a wild virus. The incubation period is 1-2 weeks. The disease often has no obvious symptoms.

In the early stages, patients experience mild fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis of the arms, legs, and the whole body. The disease can occur at any age. Even adults who are not immune are at risk of contracting the polio virus.

Experts also warn that there is no cure for polio virus infection, and it can have serious consequences, such as respiratory paralysis and muscle paralysis. Therefore, to prevent polio, vaccination is still the most effective measure.

According to Zing.vn