Pontiac Times

• Free polio vaccinations begin Monday, Dec. 12 at Oakland County Health Division offices.
• No appointments are required for the polio vaccine at the Health Division.
• Health Division hours are 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

Pontiac, Michigan - Polio vaccine (IPV) will be available at no cost to Oakland County residents who are not up to date on their polio vaccine beginning Monday, Dec. 12 at Oakland County Health Division offices. The Health Division is removing financial barriers for residents to protect themselves against the disease following a confirmed case of paralytic polio in another U.S. state earlier this year.  Vaccination is the best prevention against poliovirus.

"Our public health experts tell me the risk of getting polio in the United States remains low, but that vaccination remains the best way to protect against the illness," Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said. "Oakland County is offering residents the polio vaccine for free so that anyone who wants the vaccination can get one."

Waiving the $40 vaccination fee and $7 administration fee for polio vaccination reflects the Health Division's commitment to preventing cases of polio in our community and removing financial barriers for families.

"We are all fortunate to have a public health department always on the front lines protecting our community, including in the fight against polio," Board Chairman David T. Woodward (D-Royal Oak) said. "We are very supportive of removing all cost barriers for residents. Get vaccinated! Together, we all need to do our part to shield our community with this safe and effective vaccine, ensuring those of all ages are safeguarded against this debilitating, and preventable, disease."

Polio vaccines are available at Health Division offices in Pontiac and Southfield. No appointments are necessary. Bring a photo ID and insurance card, if applicable.

"Thanks to a successful vaccination program, most people in the U.S are protected from polio," Oakland County Health Officer Calandra Green said. "People who are not vaccinated or who haven't received all recommended doses, however, may be at risk of getting polio. By removing the cost of the vaccine, we've made it easier for everyone to receive their needed doses and to gain protection."

Health Division offices are located at the following addresses:

• North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac
• South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield

Hours are 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

The United States is now considered a country with circulating poliovirus because of the one confirmed case in another state earlier this year. Polio was considered eliminated in the United States since 1979.

According to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the number of children completing their core series of vaccines (including polio vaccine) has declined the past few years. A lower vaccination rate creates more opportunity for vaccine preventable diseases to spread in the community.

Parents can contact their child's healthcare provider to ensure they are up to date on the polio vaccine. Adults who have not completed their IPV series are encouraged to get fully vaccinated. Those who are unsure of their vaccination status may find their vaccination record by going to https://mdhhsmiimmsportal.state.mi.us/.

There is no cure for polio but preventing the spread of polio is possible through safe and effective vaccination. Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV) – the only polio vaccine available in the U.S. – is safe and contains no live virus. The CDC recommends that children get four doses of IPV, with one dose at each of the following ages:

• 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 through 18 months old
• 4 through 6 years old
• Children who will be traveling to a country where the risk of getting polio is high should complete the series before leaving for their trip.

Polio is very contagious. Not everyone infected with poliovirus will show symptoms, and the most common symptoms are sore throat, fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, and stomach pain. In more severe cases, polio can result in meningitis and paralysis which can lead to death. Poliovirus spreads from person-to-person through contact with the feces (often tiny, invisible amounts) from an infected person. Less often, it can spread through the sneeze or cough droplets from an infected person. Before the polio vaccine was available, polio outbreaks caused more than 15,000 cases of paralysis each year.

For up-to-date information, visit www.oakgov.com/health, follow the Health Division on Facebook and Twitter @publichealthOC. Nurse on Call is also available to answer questions at 800-848-5533, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For media inquiries only please contact Bill Mullan, Oakland County public information officer, at 248-858-1048.

Original source can be found here.