Polio Remains a Global Health Concern as CDC Issues Travel Advisory

Vaccination is key to protecting against the highly contagious disease, especially for those planning trips to affected regions.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 11:03am

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its global travel advisory to include 30 destinations where poliovirus has been detected in the past 13 months. While polio has been eliminated in the U.S. since 1979, the virus continues to circulate in certain parts of the world, posing a risk to unvaccinated travelers. Experts emphasize the importance of being up-to-date on the polio vaccine, especially for those planning trips to affected regions.

Why it matters

Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause severe complications, including paralysis and even death. Despite global efforts to eradicate the disease, it remains a threat in some parts of the world, and unvaccinated travelers can potentially spread the virus to areas where it has been eliminated. The updated CDC advisory highlights the ongoing need for vigilance and vaccination to prevent the resurgence of this devastating disease.

The details

The CDC's travel advisory covers 30 destinations where poliovirus has been detected in either reported cases or environmental samples, including countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. While the risk of infection is low in areas with high vaccination coverage and good sanitation, the presence of the virus in these regions means unvaccinated travelers are at risk of contracting polio. The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is highly effective, providing at least 99% protection against the disease. However, some parts of the world still use the oral polio vaccine (OPV), which can rarely mutate and cause vaccine-derived polio in unvaccinated populations.

  • The CDC originally issued a polio-related global travel notice in 2022 and recently updated it to include the latest affected countries.
  • In 2022, an unvaccinated adult was diagnosed with polio in a New York county that had low vaccination coverage.

The players

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The U.S. federal agency responsible for protecting public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability.

David Heymann

A professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Art Reingold

A professor of epidemiology at the University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health.

Paul Offit

The director of the Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Marlene Wolfe

An epidemiologist and assistant professor at Emory University, and co-principal investigator at WastewaterSCAN.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.