BERLIN (AP) – The German Independent Vaccine Advisory Group recommends that monkeypox vaccination be a priority for people who have recently been exposed to the virus that causes the disease.
The commission, known by its German acronym STIKO, issued a draft recommendation Thursday saying that due to limited supply, the smallpox vaccine Imvanex should be offered to people who have been exposed to the virus in the past 14 days.
The advisory group stated that people who are not vaccinated for smallpox should receive two vaccines at least 28 days apart, and one dose is sufficient for those who have had smallpox vaccine before. Monkeypox is a rare disease that belongs to the same virus family as smallpox.
WHO: Leading theory for monkeypox epidemics is ‘risky sexual behavior’ between two lauded men in Europe https://t.co/3fZO51JNKA
– Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) 23 May 2022
The commission said people at higher risk of developing monkeypox should be given the vaccine as a second priority. These include men who have sex with alternating male partners; All of the more than 130 cases of monkeypox in Germany so far involve individuals in this group.
Private lab workers working on infectious samples containing monkeypox may also be in the high-risk category, the report said.
STIKO’s recommendations are not legally valid, but are generally followed by German authorities.
Health authorities in Europe, North America, Israel and Australia have identified more than 100 cases of monkeypox. The disease has long been native to Africa.
While the spread of the virus outside of Africa is worrying, experts believe the risk to the general public is low.
The rise of monkeypox shouldn’t stop at the LGBTQI+ pride parade: WHOhttps://t.co/Cs0RbzCFPw
– Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 31, 2022
Source: Breitbart
