Polio may be eradicated within three years, but the battle against the disease is far from over. The final steps toward eradication are challenging, as polio could still lurk in laboratories and manufacturing facilities, risking accidental releases. The withdrawal of the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) has also proven tricky, with vaccine-derived polio outbreaks occurring in some countries. After polio is eradicated, surveillance will be crucial to ensure the virus doesn’t reemerge, as cases can go undetected. Maintaining high vaccination rates and strengthening health systems will be key in the post-polio world to prevent future outbreaks and public health crises.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03602-5