International Health Organization's Plan: Vaccination of approximately 156,000 Minors against Poliovirus
With great urgency, the polio immunization drive has commenced in the Gaza Strip. Over 156,000 kids under ten years old are slated to receive their initial vaccine dose in the coastal region by Tuesday evening, as reported by a WHO spokesperson in Geneva. A second dose of the vaccine is required in four weeks for them.
If at least 90% of the children in the area aren't vaccinated, the campaign may extend for an extra day, as previously agreed upon. Israel had pledged to provide both spatial and temporal truces to safeguard the vaccination team and local families. Following this, the campaign will shift to the southern part of Gaza Strip for about three to four days, then to the north. A total of 640,000 children are aimed to be covered.
As per WHO, approximately 400 vaccination centers will be established, along with nearly 300 mobile teams that will visit homes where families can't reach the vaccination centers. Each dose requires two drops of the vaccine that are applied directly onto the children's tongues.
The objective of this vaccination drive is to halt the spread of the virus. Polio, also known as infantile paralysis, can result in permanent paralysis. Lately, the first polio case in 25 years was identified in the Palestinian region. The virus mainly propagates in unsanitary conditions. Since the onset of the Israeli military operations last fall, hundreds of thousands of individuals have been consistently relocating. Israel reacted to the heinous terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023.
The WHO spokesperson mentioned that the polio immunization drive is currently underway in the Gaza Strip. If the vaccination rate falls below 90%, the campaign might need an extra day, as per agreement.
