Salem Shneish is the Director of Vaccinations at the National Center for Disease Control. He said the vaccination campaign precedes Libya’s winter peak. This peak occurs in late December and early January. The campaign will help limit the spread of infection. It aims to prevent school closures in the coming periods.
The drive also protects the elderly from severe influenza. Symptoms will be milder for those who get infected. This will reduce the widespread transmission of the disease nationwide.
Shneish stated that over 700,000 people were vaccinated last year. This year, the campaign targets more than 900,000 people. This increase is due to high demand from various municipalities.
He noted a high turnout during the distribution phase. Some areas have requested more vaccine doses. He confirmed efforts are underway to supply the required quantities. This will be done before current stocks are depleted. A higher turnout is expected this year due to recent infections.
Shneish explained agreements have been made with municipal health service departments. Coordination is also ongoing with kidney, diabetes, and oncology authorities. This will help organize the work and coordinate mobile teams. The goal is to ensure vaccines reach these high-risk groups. Other mobile teams will target schools and elderly care homes.