After the polio virus was found in the Beersheva area sewage system, Health Ministry officials are urging parents to have all children under six vaccinated in line with the standard series of vaccinations given to children.

Heath officials stress there is no outbreak at present and they are not expecting one, but the situation does demand prudent action. The ministry has ordered 220,000 vaccinations, which are expected to arrive in the coming days.

Officials add that at present, 95% of Israelis are vaccinated against polio. Experts add that few may contract the illness, and if they do, for most it will present as a number of days of general illness.

Of 1,000 people who could contract the illness, 900 will not be aware. For the other 100, those who are symptomatic, they are most likely to experience headache and diarrhea. Of the 100, 1 may become paralyzed chas v’sholom.

Health officials of late have been stepping up their campaign to encourage all parents to have their children vaccinated in line with the standard regimen of vaccines at the nation’s Tipat Chalav well baby clinics.

Well baby clinic nurses report they are inundated with calls by concerned parents even though their children have been vaccinated but to date, Baruch Hashem no one has been diagnosed with polio.

Health Minister Yael German recently made a decision that circumvents a policy to reduce child allowance payments from families deciding not to vaccinate children. German feels parents should vaccinate children but does not agree with the policy of penalizing parents who opt out.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)