Regional Plan for Containment of Poliovirus in the Americas. Regional-GAPIII

ABSTRACT

[Preface]. In December 2014, WHO published GAPIII Global Action Plan, for the main purpose of disseminating the global strategy to minimize the risk of reestablishment of circulation of poliovirus from infectious and potentially infectious samples that are stored in facilities in different sectors, including, of course, laboratories. The actions contained in GAPIII are justified in several global decisions that began with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in May 1988 (WHA41.28 and were updated in the recent “Polio Eradication & Endgame Strategic Plan (PEESP) 2013-2018.” The strategy to minimize the risk of reestablishing circulation of facility-associated poliovirus described in GAPIII consists of its elimination through the destruction of materials considered to be known or probable sources of the poliovirus, in all but certified, essential facilities and proper biorisk management of these facilities through strict adherence to required safeguards. The reasons for carrying out this task of elimination and assurance of containment in appropriate facilities are based on different scenarios that are explained below. This document seeks to address the actions recommended by the WHO in the GAPIII guide for the containment of both wild and vaccine-derived polioviruses, as well as the PAHO’s interpretation of and recommendations regarding these actions.