Polio vaccine?

I was reading the news today, and saw a few articles regarding resurgence of the polio virus (sources: Time, BBC).

I think I remember my mom saying to me that they had stopped administering the polio vaccine in the US, as the virus had been eradicated.  So, I'm assuming that I've never gotten the polio vaccine (born c.1986). So first question- does anyone know if this information is true?  Has the vaccine continued to be administered in the UK?

I ask, because living in and taking public transport throughout London, I'm aware of the fact that I come into contact with thousands of people/day, and there's the possibility that one of those thousands may have been travelling from/through the affected countries.  Therefore I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile for me to get the polio vaccine now, if available.  Or am I overthinking things?

I will attempt to get ahold of my vaccination record, but that may prove difficult, since my old pediatrician's office had closed a few years after my parents moved states.  As we kids were all fully grown, I doubt my parents remembered to provide the office with a forwarding address.

It's very unlikely you did not get a polio vaccine as a child. Polio vaccines have been a part of the recommended vaccine schedule since the 1950s, and they have never been taken off. Children receive it today in the US and the UK. I wouldn't worry about trying to get your records unless your parents were very selective about vaccinations.

They still administer the polio vaccine. They stopped administering the injectible one and went to an oral one, that's all.

If your parents got you the usual round of vaccines, then I'm sure you had it.  My sisters who are your age, and younger, got it. 

Maybe your mom was thinking of the smallpox vaccine?  They did stop that one, sometime in the early '70s I think.  It's the one that often left a small, round scar on people's upper arms.

Or am I overthinking things?

I think a flu mutation is a far greater risk.

They stopped giving the smallpox vaccine in 72 because it was eradicated.  Perhaps that is what she was thinking of?

Sonofasailor, I always laugh with your replies! But oh so true!

I think the one that I was thinking of was the one that left people with a scar on their upper arm, which I believe was the injectable one? or was that small pox?

I would worry too, only because there are so many different ethnicities in London who's natural countries may be having outbreaks of disease that we aren't guarded against.

If I remember correctly, the polio vaccine was the one that was given on a sugar cube!

Well I just read the other day that the most dangerous thing in life you can do is walk down the stairs. And particularly it is the bottom step that is the culprit, because you are either thinking there is one more or one less. BAM....head on radiator, and in a few days Mr. Whiskers is eyeing you. Step ladders/standing on something, not far behind.

Cutting bagels is unbelievable high on the list - you are supposed to lay it flat on the kitchen surface to slice through it....but who does that?

Cars. We make these things that weigh 2000 lbs, and the system we have designed to allow them to buzz about at 80 miles/hour is a slippery, narrow band. We point them straight at each other and the only thing keeping them apart is a little painted-on yellow line. Most of the time the line is optional. You can just pop over to the other side whenever you feel like it. That is insanity.

The flu. I have been reading up on the flu lately because I was on the bus the other day and this young man stumbles down the isle looking like the wrath of God and sits right behind me. He has a halo of mentholated aroma around him, like an unkind aura, and that little regular flemmish cough that means he is in the fevery communicable stage of the flu. When he hacks I can feel warm moisture on my neck. I moved and looked back and he was clutching his jacket around himself shivering.

So I was reading about the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. We should all know about this because four times as many people died from it than died from the War. More American troops were lost to the flu than in battle. In fact the reason it is known as the Spanish Flu is that all the other nations kept it out of the press so that the populace would keep their attention firmly on the war effort (Spain remained neutral and reporting was as normal, leaving people to think it was a Spanish problem). Worldwide one third of the population got it and something like 80 million people died. That's more than the plague apparently (greater total, but not nearly as high percentage).

Polio - a horrible disease - apparently is most contagious where poor water sanitation is present. The flu is airbourn and viciously transmittable - particularly as people, thinking it is a bad cold, try and power through, infecting travellers and office mates and such with abandon. With just a slight mutation (flu strands swap genetic packages readily), it can go from a nasty inconvenience to something far more deadly. 

Thanks everyone.  I'm guessing it must've been smallpox that I'm thinking of, then.  My parents weren't fussed about vaccinations, so I've had pretty much everything, except for some of the more recent ones (chicken pox, hpv)

sonofasailor-- thank you for pointing out those fun facts, definitely make me smile, and I was obviously overthinking this.  Your experience on the bus is what I experience on a daily basis (though, I've never described it so poetically), and yet, I've never bothered to get a flu shot..

They say the things you don't even think of are the ones to get you. I find no solace in that tho. Now I feel I must worry about almost everything so that they won't sneak up on me.

I think the most important thing is to keep your immune system healthy to help fight off disease. Limit caffeine and sugar, alcohol, junk food.
I personally take colloidal silver at the first sign of illness and I use essential oils.
But it's healthy to catch a cold every now and then to keep your white cells active.

Yeah, it is important to stay in good shape, but most diseases don't care.  Especially if it is like 1918.  The most healthy people died because of cytokine storm.   

People had a theory that polio was caused by ice cream.  Rates went up in the summer, and so did ice cream purchases.  Turns out it was swimming in pools. 

One book I was reading about the flu outbreak told the story of a guy going to work in Philly. He got on the streetcar and rode it towards work.  Five people died and/or collapsed on the streetcar in 7 blocks, including the driver so he figured he had better go home. 

I love disease issues.

As for colloidal silver.... http://rosemaryjacobs.com/rose1.html

Keeping healthy is important but it has nothing to do with the importance of receiving vaccinations. Those diseases don't care if you're healthy or not.

bookgrl the type and quality of the silver is very questionable. For every article located on that situation, one can be found for healing and eliminating of many more diseases. I'm not looking for a tit for tat discussion, just mentioned what I do and what works for me.
As far as the essential oils, look up Thieves oil and how the spice traders were able to not contract PLAGUE. I figure if it can help with that, well, hopefully the flu will be kept at bay.

I too am very interested in disease as I am a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis and have 2 daughters with the disease. Nothing keeps you more informed as watching your offspring suffer from something you carry in your DNA.