After 225 cases of polio, 24 million kids line up for vaccinations in Indonesia

Children in school uniforms and toddlers on parents’ hips lined up across Indonesia Tuesday, part of a polio vaccination drive aimed at 24 million youths. Health officials said they worried the crippling disease could spread to other countries.

Polio has sickened 225 children since the virus reappeared in mostly Muslim Indonesia in March for the first time in 10 years. Tuesday’s operation was the latest round in a massive campaign to stamp it out, reports the AP.

According to Scotsman, "People should not be afraid," Kristiani Yudhoyono said. "We are doing this for the sake of the children."

More than 750,000 health workers fanned out at 245,000 posts set up at health clinics, bus depots and airports. The army and police were helping deliver vaccine to some of Indonesia's 6000 inhabited islands.