A Polio Vaccination Certificate is required for playing in any Tournament or Friendly game, participating in any clinic, camp or program of the International Sports Adventure Institute, Inc or the RED de AfroHeritage Footballers. Here are some fact about Polio that you might want to know.
Poliomyelitis is a disease of the central nervous system caused by three closely related enteroviruses, poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3. The virus is spread predominantly by the faecal–oral route, although rare outbreaks caused by contaminated food or water have occurred. After the virus enters the mouth, the primary site of infection is the intestine, although the virus can also be found in the pharynx. Poliomyelitis is also known as “infantile paralysis” because it most frequently causes paralysis in infants and young children: 60–70% of cases occur in children under 3 years of age and 90% in children under 5 years of age. The resulting paralysis is permanent, although some recovery of function is possible with physiotherapy. There is no cure.
Wild poliovirus transmission has ceased in almost all industrialized countries and much of the developing world. Remaining countries are expected to be free of poliomyelitis by 2005.
Until the disease has been certified as eradicated, the risk of acquiring it remains and travellers to endemic countries should be fully protected by vaccination. The consequences of infection are life-threatening or crippling. Infection and paralysis may occur in non-immune individuals and are by no means confined to infants. Infected travellers are potent vectors for transmission and possible reintroduction of the virus into polio-free zones now that worldwide eradication is near.
All travellers should be up to date with vaccination against poliomyelitis. There are two types of vaccine: inactivated (IPV), which is given by injection, and oral (OPV). OPV is composed of the three types of live attenuated polioviruses. Because of the low cost and ease of administration of the vaccine and its superiority in conferring intestinal immunity, OPV has been the vaccine of choice for controlling epidemic poliomyelitis in many countries. The immunity produced by OPV is apparently lifelong.
IPV is used in several European countries and the USA, either as the sole vaccine against poliomyelitis or in schedules combined with OPV. Although IPV suppresses pharyngeal excretion of wild poliovirus, this vaccine has only limited effects in reducing intestinal excretion of poliovirus. For unvaccinated older children and adults, the second dose is given 1–2 months after the first, and the third 6–12 months after the second. A booster dose is recommended after 4–6 years. IPV is also the vaccine of choice for travellers with no history of OPV use, as well as for immunocompromised individuals and their contacts and family members.
For those who have received three or more doses of OPV in the past, it is advisable to offer another dose of polio vaccine as a once-only dose to those travelling to endemic areas of the world. Any unimmunized individuals intending to travel to such an area require a complete course of vaccine. Countries differ in recommending IPV or OPV in these circumstances: IPV has the advantage of avoiding any risk of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP), but is more expensive and may not stop faecal excretion of the virus.
Both IPV and OPV are very safe vaccines. Reactions to IPV are extremely rare and tend to be limited to allergic responses among persons already sensitive to either the formaldehyde or the antibiotics used in the preparation of the vaccine.
The major adverse event associated with OPV is VAPP. The risk of
VAPP is higher after the first dose of OPV than after subsequent
doses, ranging from 1 case per 1.4 million to 1 case per 3.4
million first doses administered. VAPP is more common in
individuals who are immunocompromised, for whom IPV is the
vaccine of choice.
This certificate is an official
statement that you have been adequately immunized against certain
diseases. If you should lose this certificate, you may need to
contact the nearest American Consulate. If an epidemic breaks out
in an area you have been in, the certificate will be required,
indicating your protection. It should be kept with your passport
or other papers.
Option 1 - Send money through Western Union to Honduras to CODET to La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras
Option Two - Send copies of the application by certified, registered mail, or DHL with payment to CODET, S de R L, Barrio El Morera, Farmacia Galencia, Frente Bazar Reyna, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras
Applications can be sent by email. However it is more secure to send APPLICATIONS ACCOMPANIED BY PAYMENT. SENDING APPLICATIONS AND PAYMENT BY DHL IS PROBABLY YOUR BEST OPTION.