After global certification of polio eradication laboratories, which store infectious or potentially infectious material containing wild polioviruses, can constitute a risk. For that reason containment (the safe storage of such material) is the third important element for the certification of a WHO region as polio free, in addition to a high vaccination rate and a functioning surveillance. After the WHO Region Europe received this certification in 2002, containment became increasingly important in Germany, too. Its implementation, i.e. the interrogation of laboratories concerning the use / storage of wild polioviruses and the establishment of a nationwide inventory, was started at the Lower Saxony Regional Health Office in Hanover.

In 2010 the laboratory containment has also been shifted to the RKI, which is responsible for all polio eradication activities in Germany.

In 2015, the WHO declared global eradication of type 2 polio wild viruses. In 2016, the trivalent polio live vaccine was replaced by bivalent (polio 1 + 3) in OPV vaccinating countries.

The possession of all type 2 polio viruses has no longer been permitted outside polio essential facilities (PEF) since 2016. In Germany there is no PEF.

In October 2019, type 3 polio viruses were also declared eradicated. This affects laboratory containment.

With an amendment of the Infection Protection Act (IfSG), polio containment was given a legal basis with the new paragraph 50a ("Laboratory containment and eradication of the polio virus"). Since July 25, 2017, possession of polio viruses or material that may contain polioviruses (PIM) must be reported to the responsible authority (usually the health authority). The responsible authority immediately transmits information on the facility, the responsible person, the type and quantity of t polioviruses / the material as well as the intended purpose to the highest national health authority, which immediately sends it to the Office of the National Commission for polio eradication (at RKI).

In addition, the new paragraph authorizes the Federal Ministry of Health to determine the dates.

1. for which polioviruses and material that may contain polioviruses must be destroyed at latest in accordance with paragraph 2,
2. from which only a central facility may have type 1 and 3 polio wild viruses, type 1 and 3 polio vaccine viruses and material which may contain such polioviruses.

If there is a suspicion that a person has polioviruses or material that may contain polioviruses without being notified, the competent authority can carry out the necessary investigations.