Enfield among eight London boroughs where poliovirus has been detected in sewage, reports Julia Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter

Nearly one million children in London are being offered a polio vaccine after samples of the virus were discovered in the sewage of eight north-east London boroughs – including Enfield.

Heath experts first discovered poliovirus in sewage from the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works earlier this year. Since then they have expanded their testing across London and have found polio in 116 isolates from 19 sewage samples in Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.

The last case of polio in the UK was discovered in 1984 and Europe was declared ‘polio free’ in 2003.

Polio is caused by a virus that spreads easily from person to person, mainly from faeces, and can be spread by poor hand hygiene if someone infected with polio does not wash their hands after using the toilet and touches food or water used by others. It can also be spread less commonly through coughing and sneezing. In rare cases it can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis.

Most people with polio will fight off the infection without even realising they were infected and will not know they have symptoms. A small number will have flu-like illness three to 21 days after they’re infected.

The virus is likely to have been shed in the faeces of people who have recently been vaccinated in a country that uses the oral polio vaccine, which is no longer used in the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is “urgently offering” polio booster doses to 900,000 children aged under ten, across London, to boost protection.

Health bosses stressed there have not been any confirmed cases of polio and the risk to the wider population is low. However, they said that it is clear the virus has spread within the community and urged families to make sure their polio vaccines are up to date.

Families should wait for an invite from their their GP to get their children boosted – and the vaccination programme will start in the eight boroughs where samples have been found and vaccination rates are low.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “No cases of polio have been reported and for the majority of the population, who are fully vaccinated, the risk is low. But we know the areas in London where the poliovirus is being transmitted have some of the lowest vaccination rates. This is why the virus is spreading in these communities and puts those residents not fully vaccinated at greater risk.”

She said in rare cases the illness can cause paralysis but the risk is low because nationally most people have been vaccinated. Vaccination rates in London vary from 93% to 61%.

Dr Saliba said: “It is vital parents ensure their children are fully vaccinated for their age. Following JCVI [Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation] advice all children aged one to nine years in London need to have a dose of polio vaccine now – whether it’s an extra booster dose or just to catch up with their routine vaccinations. It will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis. This may also help stop the virus spreading further.”

Testing is being extended to a further 15 sites across London and there are plans to take samples from other places in the UK.

As well as making sure their children have been vaccinated people are urged to practice good hand hygiene as polio can be spread orally from faeces.

London’s chief nurse Jane Clegg said: “While the majority of Londoners are protected from polio, the NHS will shortly be contacting parents of eligible children aged one to nine years old to offer them a top-up dose to ensure they have maximum protection from the virus.

“We are already reaching out to parents and carers of children who aren’t up-to-date with their routine vaccinations, who can book a catch-up appointment with their GP surgery now and for anyone not sure of their child’s vaccination status, they can check their red book.”

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