polio

It was a big year for viruses, which simply refused to be ignored. And unlike the previous two years, COVID had to share the spotlight.

The highly infectious viral disease can lead to permanent paralysis of the arms and legs and even death in some cases. Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated if they haven't been.

Children were made eligible for booster doses after health authorities reported finding evidence the virus has spread in multiple areas of London but found no cases of the paralytic disease in people.

The CDC confirmed that a patient in New York has contracted polio, the first U.S. case since 2013. But most people shouldn't be concerned about contracting the virus because of high vaccination rates.

Scientists in Britain have detected multiple versions of the virus in wastewater. Officials say the risk to the public is extremely low and urge people to ensure their polio vaccines are up to date.

Countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia are counting more cases of vaccine-derived polio. Now there's a likely U.S. case. Researchers are looking for ways to stop it.

Franklin Sherman Elementary was the first school to administer the polio vaccine to kids in 1954. Now it's once again at the forefront, hosting a COVID-19 vaccine event with first lady Jill Biden.

Martha Lillard had just turned 5 years old when polio incapacitated her. She still uses a form of the ventilator that saved her life as a child — though now she worries about replacement parts.

Since 2018, the militant group has blocked such efforts, leaving millions of children unprotected. The World Health Organization reports that the Taliban is now reversing that stance.

The pandemic has slowed efforts to eradicate the contagious disease. Yet the country's polio effort offers insights on the launch of its coronavirus vaccine campaign.