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POLIOMYELITIS.

Arrangements are made whereby doctors may collect anti-poliomyelitis
vaccine from the Public Health Department, and this facility is very much
appreciated and used.
At the end of the year good progress has been made towards the
protection by vaccination of the priority groups for which vaccine had
been issued by the Ministry of Health.
These groups were:-
All persons who have not at the time of their application
for vaccination reached the age of forty.
General practitioners.
Ambulance staff.
Hospital staff who come into contact with patients.
Medical students.
Practising dental surgeons, dental students, dental
hygienists, student hygienists and dental surgeons'
chairside assistants.
Practising nurses not working in hospitals.
Public Health staff who may come into contact with
poliomyelitis cases.
The families of the above groups.
Expectant mothers who are particularly urged to be
vaccinated as early as possible in pregnancy and such
requests are dealt with as priorities.
Persons going to visit or reside in a country outside
Europe, other than Canada or the United States of
America.
Vaccination consists of one simple initial injection given into
the arm followed approximately four weeks later by a second, and
after a period of seven months by a third, and about one year later
a fourth will be called for. This is known to give a workable level
of protection in most subjects for several years.
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