PNN – The United Nations Children’s Agency (UNICEF) warned that there are only a few days left to inject the second dose of polio vaccine to about 119,000 children in northern Gaza.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, UNICEF spokesperson Joe English told CNN on Wednesday local time: Even if we vaccinate about 119,000 children in the northern parts of Gaza, all of these children are still vulnerable to the polio virus. This means they are not protected, can contract the virus, become paralyzed and pass it on to others.
The first dose of polio vaccine was administered to children in northern Gaza last month between September 10 and 12. The second dose should be administered within one to two months to develop sufficient immunity against the virus and prevent its spread.
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A UNICEF spokesperson said: This means there are still a few days left to ensure that the second dose of the vaccine is given to the children in the planned time frame. The longer we wait, the more the virus spreads and puts more children at risk.
According to the World Health Organization, the third phase of the UN polio vaccination operation in Gaza was postponed due to “intensification of violence, heavy bombardment, mass displacement orders and the lack of a temporary and guaranteed humanitarian cessation of hostilities in most of the northern areas of Gaza”.
The request of the World Health Organization for the reduction of tension and humanitarian stops is raised while the Israeli army has increased its operations and military attacks in the north of this region.