Polio precautions taken?

29 Aug 2005, Today

Question

Polio precautions taken?

Health Ministry has yet to answer questions on whether older Singaporeans are at riskMonday yyy August 29, 2005Letter from See Leong Kit 

I refer to your reports, "UN issues polio warning" (Aug 24) and "NEA acts to curb mosquito-breeding" (Aug 25). 

Fighting the increasing dengue threat in Singapore calls for the National Environment Agency (NEA) to demonstrate pro-active leadership by ensuring that Singaporeans are not breeding mosquitoes in their homes. I have yet to see it make an all-out effort to educate the people to take dengue seriously. 

To date, there have been 7,400 dengue cases this year (an average of more than 400 cases a week), which suggests that the country will surpass last year's record high of 9,500 cases yyy with 80 per cent of those affected requiring hospitalisation. 

HDB and private flats are just as prone to dengue outbreaks as landed homes. Many older flats have bamboo-pole holders that can trap rain water and thus become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. This little-known fact is not included in the NEA's public education posters at bus stops. 

Years ago, the NEA said schools and universities were major sources of mosquito breeding. How often then are these places checked and fogged to protect students? 

Polio can lead to paralysis. As for the potential polio threat from Indonesia, the Health Ministry has yet to offer answers to the following questions. 

When were compulsory polio vaccinations introduced in Singapore? Although most younger Singaporeans have been vaccinated against polio, what about people over the age of 40 with no vaccination records? 

And for those who have been vaccinated, is the immunity life-long or are booster shots needed?

Reply

Reply from MOH 

Singapore population has high level of polio immunity 

In yyyPolio precautions taken ?yyy (Today, Aug 29), Mr See Leong Kit asked about the risk of poliomyelitis among older Singaporeans and whether there is a need for booster poliomyelitis immunization. 

Polio vaccination for children was introduced in Singapore in 1962. Although it is not compulsory by law, the immunisation coverage for infants below one year of age and primary school chidren has been maintained at a very high level. This has led to the elimination of paralytic poliomyelitis in Singapore. 

In our national immunisation programme, children are immunised against poliomyelitis at age 3,4 and 5 months with booster doses given at 18 months of age, and in Primary 1 and 6. It is believed that such a schedule would provide life-long immunity against the disease. 

Our studies have confirmed the high level of herd immunity to poliomyelitis in our population. In adults above 40 years of age, 94% - 99% were found to be immune. 

However, as a small proportion of our population may not have the immunity, travellers, regardless of age, to areas with on-going polio transmission are advised to update their immunisation status. For those who have previously completed a primary course of three doses, a booster dose is recommended.