The CDC has issued a travel warning for certain countries due to high rates of polio infections. The warning follows increased polio cases in Europe and Africa. Health authorities urge travelers to these countries to ensure they have received full polio vaccination doses before traveling. The countries warned against traveling to are Finland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Kenya. Additional precautions include frequent hand washing, drinking bottled water, and adults who previously received the polio vaccine should get a one-time booster dose for lifelong protection before traveling. Polio is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted through direct contact or contaminated food and water. While most cases show no or mild flu-like symptoms, rare cases can cause permanent paralysis or death, especially if respiratory muscles are affected.

The resurgence of polio is linked to declining vaccination rates worldwide, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, and travel from countries where polio still exists to others that had eliminated it.