CDC Warns of Polio Risk Abroad as Travelers Prepare for Summer

Key Takeaways

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert regarding the presence of poliovirus in 32 countries, including several popular European destinations like the United Kingdom and Spain. Travelers are advised to take enhanced precautions, such as verifying their polio vaccination status and considering a booster shot if necessary.

Polio vaccines are known to be safe and effective in preventing infection and severe illness. The CDC recently released an advisory urging Americans to take extra precautions when traveling to any of these 32 countries where the poliovirus is circulating. These locations include various regions across Europe, Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean, such as Germany, Poland, Spain, Finland, Tanzania, Israel, Afghanistan, and others.

For those planning trips to these areas, the CDC recommends checking that they are up to date on their polio vaccinations. Even individuals who have completed the full polio vaccine series should consider a booster shot, as the series is generally believed to provide lifelong immunity for most people.

Robert H. Hopkins Jr., MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), highlights that polio remains a significant issue globally, primarily due to declining vaccination rates. He notes that if someone is fully vaccinated, their risk of contracting polio is extremely low, nearly zero.

Why Polio Is So Dangerous

Polio is a highly contagious disease that spreads through feces and can be transmitted when an infected person does not wash their hands properly after using the restroom. It can also spread through contaminated water or food.

Most people infected with polio may not show any symptoms, but some might experience mild issues like fever, fatigue, stiffness in the arms and back, and pain in the arms and legs. However, 1 in 200 cases leads to irreversible paralysis when the virus attacks the nervous system. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 5 to 10 percent of those paralyzed die when their breathing muscles become immobilized. There is currently no cure for polio.

Following the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955 and widespread immunization efforts, polio was considered eliminated in the United States by 1979.

Adam Lauring, MD, PhD, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School, points out that with the elimination of polio, many people today may not realize how serious the disease can be. He mentions that while he has never seen a case of polio as a physician, he knows people in their seventies or eighties who have had the disease. “It’s something you carry with you your whole life,” he says. “We don’t have any real treatments, and the effects can be severe with some patients losing use of their arms and legs, and some winding up on ventilators.”

Risks of Undervaccination

Polio vaccination is part of the routine childhood immunization schedule, with the CDC recommending four doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) for maximum protection. However, vaccine hesitancy has increased in recent years due to misinformation on social media, religious and cultural beliefs, and distrust in institutions.

According to the CDC, vaccination rates for polio, as well as measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and varicella, have been decreasing among kindergartners. Data from the 2024–2025 school year shows that 92.5 percent of kindergartners had received the polio vaccine. If this downward trend continues, the United States could lose its polio elimination status.

Hopkins warns that the greatest risk comes from unvaccinated U.S. travelers who could contract polio abroad and bring it back to their communities. He emphasizes that the risk of polio is growing globally as more countries become underimmunized.

Recommendations for Travelers

The CDC stresses that travelers to high-risk areas should ensure they have received their polio shots and consider getting a booster even if they have completed the full series of polio vaccinations as a child.

Dr. Lauring suggests that some people, especially those with immunocompromising conditions, might consider getting a booster as a precaution. He notes that these shots are safe and effective and encourages individuals to consult their doctors about their options.

He also points out that some of the higher-risk areas listed may come as a surprise to many American travelers. “You might not think before you go to London, ‘Hey, I better get my polio shot,'” he says. “So stay informed about which areas have circulating virus.”