Jerusalem, Oct 20 (EFE).- At least 145,000 children under 10 years of age received the second dose of the polio vaccine in southern Gaza on Saturday, the day on which the second phase of the immunization campaign began in this part of the enclave, confirmed the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).
In addition, “119,000 children aged 2 to 10 years” received a dose of a vitamin A supplement to increase their resistance to the disease, UNRWA reported on the social network X.
The immunizations are part of a new round to inoculate minors throughout October, which began on the 14th in central Gaza with the vaccination of nearly 93,000 minors, and lasted for about four days.
From Saturday the 19th to the 22nd of October the vaccination campaign will continue in the south of Gaza, and will then move to the north between the 23rd and the 25th of this month “if conditions allow it,” according to what he assured EFE days ago. the head of communications for Unicef in Palestine, Jonathan Crickx.
Conditions in the north, with an intense Israeli offensive that has caused more than 500 deaths in just two weeks – 70 tonight alone, with a violent attack in Beit Lahia – raise the possibility that humanitarian pauses for vaccination will not be respected .
The first round of vaccination took place between September 1 and 12 and the organizations in charge, including Unicef, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNRWA, then managed to immunize some 559,000 children, who They estimated about 90% of children under 10 years of age in Gaza.
The organization estimates that in Gaza there are between 600,000 and 620,000 children under the age of ten, so, although in September they achieved their original goal of vaccinating 90%, for this new round they aim to reach 590,000.
A first case of polio was detected last August in a baby of about 10 months, who suffered paralysis, which motivated this immunization campaign against a disease eradicated in Gaza 25 years ago. EFE
Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza: Making Vaccines Cool Again!
Well, it seems like Gaza is having a bit of a renaissance when it comes to health campaigns. I mean, who would have thought that in 2023, we’d still be running vaccine campaigns for diseases we thought were as good as gone? It’s like trying to reboot an old sitcom that nobody asked for, but here we are!
Vaccines: Not Just for Coughs and Sneezes
So, news broke that over 145,000 children under the age of 10 received their second dose of the polio vaccine in southern Gaza. Yes, you heard right! It’s not just a flashback to the ‘90s, but a necessary step in keeping the legacy of polio at bay. Because when you get one polio case popping up like an unwanted party guest, it’s time to roll out the vaccine red carpet!
On the same day, 119,000 kids aged 2 to 10 were getting their gleaming dose of vitamin A to help them resist this pesky disease. Now, that’s what I call a well-rounded party favor—everybody’s invited!
The Vaccination Vogue
This entire immunization campaign kicked off just a week ago, on the 14th of October, in central Gaza, where they managed to vaccinate nearly 93,000 minors in a mere four days. That’s some serious hustle! It’s like a flash sale in the world of virology: get your shots while they last!
And it doesn’t stop there! From the 19th to the 22nd of October, they’re planning to keep the ball rolling in the south. Following that, they might head north between the 23rd and 25th—if ‘conditions allow.’ You know, a little thing called a ceasefire would really help make that happen. But let’s not hold our breath. We’ve all made plans that are dependent on the weather, but this is akin to depending on an earthquake for your family picnic! Talk about shaky ground.
Hope Amidst Chaos
Speaking of conditions, the north is currently under *intense Israeli offensive*. Over 500 deaths in just two weeks—yikes! And you thought your last fight with your neighbor was bad. It’s crucial to consider that humanitarian pauses for vaccinations might not go according to plan. Because when you mix politics with public health, it feels like trying to mix oil and water. A recipe for disaster!
Let’s have a moment of silence for the irony of it all: a disease that was eradicated in Gaza 25 years ago making a sneak attack, all because one baby got their hands on some rather *inconvenient* polio. You’ve got to applaud the World Health Organization and UNICEF for jumping on this like it’s a new viral TikTok dance—swift, necessary, and with potentially serious consequences if you don’t follow the steps.
What Lies Ahead?
With around 600,000 children under ten in Gaza, it’s a juggernaut of a campaign targeting to vaccinate 590,000 over these rounds. That’s like trying to fill a kiddie pool with a water faucet that can barely drip! But the determination is commendable.
To summarize: while the global stage seems more interested in fighting over things we can’t control (hello, geopolitics), it’s the smaller steps like immunizing children that make the biggest difference. So here’s to hoping they get their act together, make those humanitarian pauses happen, and get the kids their shots. After all, we can’t let *Polio* crash the party again!
Now, if only we could get all this concern for children to extend past the vaccination campaign. Oh, the lessons we could learn! But hey, one dose of reality at a time, right?
