There are two types of vaccine that can prevent polio:

– Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) given as an injection in the leg or arm, depending on the patient’s age. Only IPV has been used in the United States since 2000.
– Oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) is still used throughout much of the world.
Polio vaccine protects children by preparing their bodies to fight the poliovirus. Almost all children (99 children to 100 out of 100) who get all the recommended doses of the inactivated polio vaccine will be protected from polio.