News from the Department of Medicine

Vaccination Is Best Protection Against Polio Virus, Lahey Tells WVNY-TV

August 12, 2022 by Lucy Gardner Carson

(AUGUST 12, 2022) In response to the news that polio virus has been detected in New York City wastewater, infectious disease specialist Tim Lahey, M.D., M.M.Sc., professor of medicine, told WVNY-TV ABC22 that vaccination is the best protection.

Infectious disease specialist Tim Lahey, M.D., M.M.Sc., professor of medicine

(AUGUST 12, 2022) In response to the news that polio virus has been detected in New York City wastewater, infectious disease specialist Tim Lahey, M.D., M.M.Sc., professor of medicine, told WVNY-TV ABC22 that vaccination is the best protection. Individuals not vaccinated against polio run the risk of catching the virus, and polio can spread pretty easily through water, droplet transmission, and close contact. But most of the time, Lahey emphasized, the U.S. population should be safe. “The vast majority of people in the United States have been vaccinated against polio, and so do not have any risk of contracting polio virus,” he said.

Read full story at MyChamplainValley.com