Polio, or polio, is an infectious disease that can cause irreversible paralysis. The peculiarity of the disease comes from its onset, which can be late. An individual can suffer from post-polio syndrome which appears on average thirty-five years after infection.
1500 polio for polio
On the occasion of the 85th anniversary of ASPR, a meeting was held in Python Square to discuss with stakeholders. In this context, the city of Fribourg purchased 1,500 tulips from the Rotary Association, which launched the Tulip Polio Campaign. Each lavender of this variety sold allows one hundred and thirty children to be vaccinated.
The association aims to raise awareness about the disease so that we do not abandon the compulsory vaccine, which is the only current means to protect ourselves from the disease. Even if no cases have been reported since 1982, Switzerland is not immune to the emergence of new cases. Symptoms of the virus often go unnoticed, leading immigration to inadvertently bring people back to Switzerland. While 95% of the population would be enough to effectively combat the disease, the Appenzell region, for example, has a vaccination rate of around 70%.
In Switzerland, several thousand polio survivors live with paralysis. Daily life has been greatly affected by a virus that has been infected for at least thirty years. “With age, mobility problems worsen,” explains Christian Feldhausen, head of the association’s marketing and communications department. “A large proportion of people who suffered from recent epidemics in Switzerland are now in their seventies, eighties or even nineties, often in their seventies.” “. Need physical therapy and home care It's about adapting to this new life with the possibility of paralysis.
In the canton, many people fell ill. Among them is Barbara Morrone, a pre-pubescent girl from Friborg, who has lived her entire life with the disease. Today, she describes herself as a fighter, and lucky to be where she is today.
Global participation
Polio has not been completely eradicated on a global scale, but the number of cases has declined significantly since the 1990s. While there were 350,000 cases worldwide in 1988, there are now only a few endemic countries in October 2023, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, as long as the virus is not completely eradicated, the risk of the virus reappearing in areas where it has been eradicated remains. for more information
radiofrequency. – Timothy Montafon / Camille Berset
