Polio immunisation Photograph:( Reuters )
Statistically speaking, reported coverage for the polio vaccine for the Americas between 2016 and 2019 ranged between 85-87%.
An outbreak of the polio virus in North and South Americas might happen due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, health experts fear.
According to experts at the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), these disruptions can be due to delay in vaccinations and surveillance.
Countries in the region must maintain polio vaccinations and surveillance during the pandemic to prevent an outbreak, the organisation says.
The pandemic has stressed immunisation and surveillance systems designed to catch and respond to vaccine-preventable diseases, according to PAHO.
Statistically speaking, reported coverage for the polio vaccine for the Americas between 2016 and 2019 ranged between 85-87%, according to PAHO.
Coverage in 2020 might be lower "due to disruptions in primary health care activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," according to PAHO.
Polio, in some young children, can affect the nerves and cause muscle weakness or paralysis.
There is no treatment yet to the disease. Getting vaccinated can, however, prevent infection.