
The Return Of Polio In The U.S.

A polio vaccine box is dislayed at a health clinic in Brooklyn, New York. ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
A polio vaccine box is dislayed at a health clinic in Brooklyn, New York.
ED JONES/AFP via Getty ImagesThe first polio case in the U.S. in nearly a decade was recorded in Rockland County, New York, this spring. Now, authorities believe there could be hundreds of unreported cases in the area.
Polio was one of the most feared diseases in the U.S. in the early 1950s, causing more than 15,000 cases of paralysis a year.
The U.S has been considered polio-free since 1979. But this latest outbreak could threaten the that status.
How do we make sure polio doesn't return to the U.S.? And what should you be doing to protect yourself and your loved ones?
CDC's Dr. Jose R. Romero, Kaiser Health News' Dr. Celine Gounder, and Emory University's Dr. Walter Orenstein join us for the conversation.
Like what you hear? Find more of our programs online.