OPV (ORAL POLIO VACCINE)

Type of Vaccine:

Live attenuated vaccine

Form of Vaccine:

Liquid vaccine

Minimum Age at 1st Dose:

6 Weeks

Number of Doses to Complete the Immunization:

3

Interval:

4 weeks / minimum of 28 days

Reason:

The extent of protection against polio is increased the earlier the OPV is given

Number of Doses per Ampule:

20 ( 10 children )

Dosage:

2 drop

Route of Administration:

Oral

Site of Administration:

Mouth

Storage Temperature:

-15 C to -25 C ( at the freezer ) Note: (It is easily damaged by heat but is not harmed by freezing).

Special Precautions:

Children known to have rare congenital immune deficiency syndrome should receive IPV ( injectable polio vaccine ) rather OPV

Side Effect:

Causes almost no side-effects. Less than 1% of the people who receive the vaccine develop a headache, diarrhea or muscle pain.

Contraindication:

None

Health Teaching:

• Nothing by mouth (NPO) 30 minutes before and after OPV.
• Do not touch the tip dropper bottle to the tongue.

Giving Oral Polio Vaccine

• Giving Oral Polio Vaccine Read the manufacturer’s instructions to determine number of drops to be given. Use the dropper provided for. Two types of OPV containers:
• Small plastic dropper bottles
• Glass vials with dropper in a separate plastic bag
• Let the mother hold the child lying firmly on his back.
• If necessary open the child’s mouth by squeezing the cheeks gently between your fingers to make his lips point upwards.
• Put drops of vaccine straight from the dropper into the child’s tongue but do not let the dropper touch the child’s tongue.
• Make sure that the child swallows the vaccine. If he spits it out, give another dose.
• If a child has diarrhea when you give OPV, administer an extra dose – that is, a fourth dose at least four weeks after he or she has received the last dose in the schedule