Shareable Facts & Talking Points
- Polio once paralyzed or killed hundreds of thousands of people each year worldwide. Vaccines have nearly eradicated it.
- Polio is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and outbreaks have occurred where vaccination rates have dropped.
- The U.S. hasn’t seen a case of wild polio in decades, but in 2022 a man in New York was paralyzed after community spread of vaccine-derived polio—reminding us it’s not gone.
- Survivors live with the late effects of polio—progressive weakness, fatigue, and respiratory problems—decades after infection. Vaccination prevents these lifelong struggles.
- Vaccine hesitancy threatens not only polio eradication but also the fight against measles, whooping cough, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Sample Social Media Posts
Post 1 (Kickoff)
PHI’s 19th annual We’re Still Here! campaign runs Oct 19–25, 2025! This year’s theme: “Protecting the Future: Lessons from Polio.”
Join us to share stories, facts, and a clear message: vaccines save lives.
#WereStillHere2025 #VaccinesWork
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Post 2 (Your Story)
“I was [x] years old when polio changed my life forever. Today, I live with its late effects every single day. That’s why I speak out: vaccines matter. No child should have to live with the effects of vaccine-preventable diseases”
This #WereStillHere2025 week, we honor survivors and fight for prevention.
#WereStillHere2025 #VaccinesWork
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Post 3 (Fact-based)
Fact: Polio still exists. Fact: Vaccine coverage keeps us safe.
Myth: “Polio is gone forever.”
Survivors remind us every day that prevention is the key to protection.
#WereStillHere2025
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Post 4 (Call to Action)
We polio survivors are still here. And we’re speaking out:
Vaccines prevent suffering. Vaccines protect communities. Vaccines save lives.
Help us spread the word during #WereStillHere2025. Share your story. Protect the future.
Conversation Starters for Survivors & Advocates
- “Do you know anyone who had polio? I do. Their story shows why vaccines matter.”
- “People think polio is gone, but I’m proof that it isn’t gone for those who survived. Vaccines protect the next generation.”
- “We’ve seen what vaccine-preventable diseases can do. Survivors carry that reminder every day.”
Downloadable Graphics
