Believe it or not, it’s true.
Mutant strains of polio vaccine have been causing more paralysis than wild polio.
Are Mutant Strains of Polio Vaccine Now Causing More Paralysis Than Wild Polio?
Although anti-vaccine folks seem to be having a field day over the news, it doesn’t really mean what they think it means.
It isn’t even true anymore…
The article Bob Sears shared isn’t even current…
“So far in 2017, there have been only six cases of “wild” polio reported anywhere in the world. By “wild,” public health officials mean the disease caused by polio virus found naturally in the environment.
By contrast, there have been 21 cases of vaccine-derived polio this year.”
Mutant Strains Of Polio Vaccine Now Cause More Paralysis Than Wild Polio
It was from two years ago.
He doesn’t even mention the main reason that mutant strains of polio vaccine are now causing more paralysis than wild polio.
“Global efforts to immunise children with the oral polio vaccine (OPV) have reduced wild poliovirus cases by 99.9% since 1988.”
Fact Sheet: Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus
And that is simply because most people are vaccinated and protected and we are very close to eradicating polio!
“As recently as 30 years ago, wild poliovirus paralysed more than 350,000 children in more than 125 countries every year. In 2018 there were fewer than 30 reported cases in just two countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
“Zero polio transmission and health for all”, WHO Director-General gives new year’s wish to the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan
Nor does he mention that vaccine derived polio virus strains mutate when too many people are unvaccinated.
What else does Bob Sears leave out of his post?
So far, this year, we are tragically seeing more paralysis from wild polio than mutant strains of the polio vaccine!
What’s the last thing Bob Sears left out of his post?
Most of the “mutant strains” of polio vaccine are from the type 2 vaccine virus, which isn’t being used anymore. In 2016, all countries switched to bivalent OPV, which doesn’t include the type 2 polio virus strain.
And since most cases of wild polio are in just a few countries, namely Pakistan and Afghanistan, we will hopefully get back on track to eradication and also see a drop in paralysis from the mutant vaccine strains. That’s when we can stop using the oral polio vaccine all together.
At least we will if folks stop listening to anti-vaccine misinformation and propaganda that scares them away from vaccinating and protecting their kids.
More On Paralysis from Mutant Strains of Polio Vaccine Vs Wild Polio
- The Myth That Polio Only Went Away Because They Changed the Way It Was Diagnosed
- Why Do We Still Vaccinate If Polio Has Been Eliminated?
- Is There a DDT-Polio Connection?
- Did Modern Ventilators Replace the Iron Lung for Folks with Polio?
- How Quickly Can You Debunk Anti-Vaccine Propaganda?
- Why Are the DPT and OPV Vaccines Still Used in Some Countries?
- Mutant Strains Of Polio Vaccine Now Cause More Paralysis Than Wild Polio
- Fact Sheet: Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus
- Vaccine-derived Polioviruses
- Polio this week as of 24 July 2019.
- Why do we still use Sabin poliovirus vaccine?
- The switch from trivalent to bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine: Will it lead to polio?
- MMWR – Paralytic Poliomyelitis — United States, 1980-1994
- MMWR – Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication — Pakistan, January 2017–September 2018
- MMWR – Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication — Afghanistan, January 2017–May 2018
- MMWR – Update on Vaccine-Derived Polioviruses — Worldwide, January 2017–June 2018
- WHO – 10 facts on polio eradication
- “Zero polio transmission and health for all”, WHO Director-General gives new year’s wish to the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan