Interim CDC Guidance for Polio Vaccination for Travel to and from Countries Affected by Poliovirus – Requirements and Recommendations | Travelers' Health | CDC

Interim CDC Guidance for Polio Vaccination for Travel to and from Countries Affected by Poliovirus – Requirements and Recommendations | Travelers' Health | CDC

Interim CDC Guidance for Polio Vaccination for Travel to and from Countries Affected by Poliovirus – Requirements and Recommendations

What to Know: Polio vaccine recommendations affect the following countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Somalia. Long-term travelers (staying longer than 4 weeks) in Afghanistan, Burma, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and Somalia may be required to show proof of polio vaccination when leaving these countries. 

To meet this requirement, long-term travelers (4 weeks or longer) should receive the polio vaccine between 4 weeks and 12 months before their date of departure from these polio-infected countries.

Recommended vaccines are those that CDC encourages to protect health, even if a country does not require them. A required vaccine is one that a traveler must have in order to enter or leave the country.

How to Counsel Your Patients: Clinicians are encouraged to err on the side of caution by ensuring patients are prepared for any requirements they may face when leaving polio-infected countries. Full update.