1994

Polio eradicated in the western hemisphere

Thanks to widespread vaccination, polio was eradicated in the western hemisphere in 1994. Today it continues to circulate in a handful of countries, so it is important to make sure vaccinations are up-to-date before traveling abroad. In the United States, children are recommended to receive the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) at 2 months and 4 months of age, and then twice more before entering elementary school.