tives, and by supporting those agencies who continue to provide immunization to people throughout the world.  Who else could be better spokespersons than we who already experienced polio?

According to a recent Washington Post article, a new strategy of using vaccine targeting the dominant strain of virus appears to have eliminated polio from Egypt, one of six countries where it was circulating freely.  That approach is on the verge of doing the same in India.  There have been intensive immunization efforts targeting tens of millions of children in Africa, which have suppressed large outbreaks.

The effort to eliminate polio has taken longer than the eradication of smallpox.  One reason is that most polio infections are not apparent, often appearing as flu-like symptoms, while smallpox is easily identified.  Paralysis from polio occurs in only 1 in 200 infections.  Thus polio can be carried into a polio-free population unknowingly.

Benefits of Exercise