Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV), which has been advised for newborns when they turn 6 weeks and 14 weeks, was launched in Mysuru on Thursday.
The IPV will now be included in the routine immunisation plan starting from the child’s birth. Minister in-charge of Mysuru district V. Srinivas Prasad launched the IPV on the occasion of World Health Day at the office of the district health officer here.
DHO Basavaraj later told The Hindu that the vaccine will be given along with polio oral drops as part of the immunisation schedule. “Polio had been eradicated in the country. IPV will replace oral polio drops in the coming years. This may take a few years since discontinuation has to be done gradually,” he explained.
Dr. Basavaraj, however, clarified that the IPV won’t be given during the pulse polio drives and the existing system of administering oral drops during the drives will continue.
Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine
Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (TOPV) will be replaced by Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (BOPV) starting April 25, district health officer Basavaraj said on Thursday.
He said that TOPV contains vaccine for stage 1, 2 and 3 of polio infection and BOPV will now have vaccine for stage 1 and 3 infection. “In view of certain apprehensions, a decision was taken to replace TOPV with BOPV, discontinuing vaccine for stage 2 and it will be launched across the country on April 25,” he said.
