The health authorities of the besieged Gaza Strip announced on Saturday that a polio vaccination campaign will be launched on a large scale in the area starting Sunday.
The target of this vaccination campaign is children from newborns to 10 years old. According to the plan, 640,000 children in the Gaza Strip will be vaccinated. This vaccine requires children to take two drops orally each time, and a second oral dose is required four weeks after the first vaccination.
"Vaccination is the only way we can prevent the spread of polio among children in the Gaza Strip, especially those under the age of five, who are a vulnerable group," said Musa Abed, a health official in Gaza.
"My child was born during the war and is now 11 months old. I am very worried about the spread of the disease, especially after the first case of polio and many diseases spread among children," said Adly Abu Taha, father of a child receiving the vaccine.
The health authorities of Gaza said that the vaccination campaign will be divided into three phases. Starting from Sunday in the central, southern and northern parts of the Gaza Strip, each phase will last for three to four days. During the vaccination period, Israel and Hamas will implement a ceasefire in limited areas and for a limited time.
According to a statement released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on Saturday evening, the Israeli army will suspend military operations at specific times and locations during the vaccination period.
"We are concerned that there are large numbers of children in areas of the Gaza Strip that are not classified as humanitarian zones and we may have difficulty coordinating vaccination visits to these areas," said Magdy Dhair, another health official in Gaza.
Hamas' media office issued a statement on Saturday, accusing the Israeli army of creating a hostile environment in the Gaza Strip that allowed the polio virus to grow. The statement called for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the safety of the vaccination campaign.
Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is an acute infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, primarily affecting children under five. It can lead to paralysis or death in severe cases. With no cure available, vaccination remains the most effective and economical method of prevention.
Poliovirus was detected in environmental samples in the Gaza Strip in July. Health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on Monday that a polio epidemic had broken out across the Palestinian enclave, blaming Israeli military operations for the damage to sanitation and medical systems that had precipitated the spread of the deadly virus.
Gaza starts large-scale polio vaccination campaign
Gaza starts large-scale polio vaccination campaign
Gaza starts large-scale polio vaccination campaign
Many Singaporeans support raising the re-employment age, partly to stay busy and active in retirement, and to help address demographic challenges in the workforce.
Like many other Asian countries, Singapore is grappling with a rapidly aging population. The government predicts that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 or older, up from one in 10 two decades ago.
A survey on retirement and employment conducted last year in the country found broad support for raising the national retirement age, with about 88 percent of those aged 50 and above in favor.
Some supported increasing the retirement age because continuing to do what they love, rather than retiring, keeps them feeling youthful and fulfilled.
When Nancy Hor, a retired IT operations manager, left her job five years ago, she wasn't sure how to fill her time.
"I'm a workaholic. At the very first stage after I retired, I felt I could not find balance," she said.
Hor, now 70, said it took her some time to adjust. In her spare time, she stays busy line dancing and spending time with her family.
But she said that if she had had the choice, she would have liked to stay employed a little longer.
"I think it's good for the elderly that even they have some job to do, and keep them busy," said Hor.
In March, authorities announced plans to raise the retirement age to 64 and the re-employment age to 69 by 2026.
Singapore's Minister of State for Manpower, Gan Siow Huang, said the changes to the rules protect senior workers from dismissal due to age-related issues before they reach the statutory retirement age. Employers are also required to offer re-employment to eligible workers until they reach the statutory re-employment age limit.
This follows a similar move made two years ago to raise the retirement and re-employment ages to 63 and 68, respectively. The city-state is also aiming for a retirement age of 65 and a re-employment age of 70 by 2030.
"That is to reduce the impact on businesses, so it gives time for businesses to adapt their policy. This gradual increase in retirement age basically provides a framework for individuals like myself, who want to continue to be gainfully employed," said Patrick Chang, a retirement planning specialist and the author of the A to Z guide to retirement planning.
Chang said that businesses will need to make adjustments to accommodate the changes, including offering retraining for senior workers.
He noted that the changes won't impact those who still wish to retire earlier, but given Singapore's demographic challenges, the country cannot afford to remain idle.
"If we don't do it now, the social cost could be high. We cannot wait until the time when we need it today, and then we get something done. It will probably be a bit too late, and the cost of getting to that solution will be higher," said Chang.
Many Singaporeans support raising retirement, re-employment ages
