Second round of polio vaccination underway

by | Mar 20, 2024 | COVID 19, Health, Local News | 0 comments

Second round of polio vaccination underway

 

Health Reporter

 

ZIMBABWE is continuing the vaccination programme against polio with the second round resuming yesterday and expected to reach over four million children under 10 years. This is to ensure they are immune and safe from the strain of the virus that has emerged.

 

The second round follows the successful first programme carried out in February using the new oral polio vaccine type 2.

 

The vaccine roll-out is in response to an outbreak of a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus variant detected in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.

 

Children under 10 years in Zimbabwe are at high risk of contracting the dangerous infection, hence the periodic rounds of polio vaccination.

 

Polio is a highly infectious disease which attacks the body’s nervous system and can sometimes attack the nerves in the spine leading to paralysis.

 

Ministry of Health and Child Care public relations officer Mr Donald Mujiri said the campaign was targeting 4 206 013 children under the age of 10.