First children in Gaza given polio vaccines a day before planned UN rollout

WHO says that the official larger vaccine rollout, which aims to reach 640,000 children, will begin on Sunday.

Several children in Gaza have been given polio vaccines a day before a large-scale campaign to inoculate children against the virus and a planned pause in fighting in the besieged territory, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

Reporters from The Associated Press news agency saw roughly 10 infants receiving doses of vaccine in the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Saturday afternoon.

“I was terrified and waiting for the vaccination to arrive and for everyone to receive it,” said Amal Shaheen, whose daughter received a dose.

The WHO has confirmed that the official larger rollout of the vaccine will begin on Sunday.

The three-day vaccination campaign aims to reach some 640,000 Palestinian children and comes after the first polio case in 25 years in Gaza was discovered this month.