Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza will receive a new round of polio vaccinations in the coming days. The announcement comes as Israel received the bodies of deceased hostages Shiri Bibas, her children Kfir and Ariel and Oded Lifshitz whose identities await positive identification in the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that a third round of vaccinations using the novel OPV2 vaccine will begin in Gaza, targeting all children under 10 — about 600,000. A fourth round is planned in two months. Israel had agreed to facilitate the transfer of vaccines months ago to prevent the virus from spreading to its territory.
About six months ago, environmental monitoring in Gaza detected the transmission of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) via sewage samples. So far, one case of severe illness resulting in paralysis has been reported in an unvaccinated child in central Gaza. Following detection of the virus, the IDF began administering booster doses to its soldiers.
According to the Health Ministry, less than 1% of polio cases result in paralysis, primarily affecting the lower limbs, sometimes causing severe muscle pain and, in extreme cases, respiratory failure requiring artificial ventilation.
The previous two vaccination rounds in Gaza, conducted in fall 2024, achieved over 95% coverage. The goal was to halt transmission, as vaccine-derived polioviruses can cause severe illness in unvaccinated individuals.
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The decision for additional rounds came after samples taken in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah in December 2024 and last month again detected polio strains genetically linked to the virus found in Gaza last summer. The WHO assessed this as evidence of continued transmission.
The new campaign aims to reach all children under 10, including those missed previously, to close immunity gaps. The oral polio vaccine is expected to curb the outbreak by preventing further spread. The campaign, led by Hamas' Health Ministry in Gaza, is supported by WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA and other partners.
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), three to four high-quality vaccination rounds are typically needed to stop outbreaks. While type 2 polio isn’t more dangerous than types 1 and 3, it has caused most recent outbreaks, especially in areas with low immunization rates.
Gaza's health infrastructure is in ruins, sanitation is poor and sewage flows in some streets, increasing the risk of disease spread. There’s no cure for polio, but routine vaccinations, like those in Israel, can prevent it. The polio vaccine is safe, widely used and has been administered in billions of doses worldwide.
WHO said in a statement that polio vaccines are safe, there was no maximum number of doses a child can receive and each dose provides additional protection. The organization also "welcomes the recent cease-fire and calls for a lasting truce leading to long-term peace."