What we know about monkeypox vaccine

The number of cases of monkeypox is increasing in the United States, and there is no sign of stopping. Approximately 2,900 cases Confirmed throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.US Department of Health and Human Services publication On Thursday, the state and city health departments received more than 191,000 vaccines.

However, access to vaccines in practice is difficult for many, and booking availability and demand are limited. Exceeding vaccine supply.. (Book more monkeypox vaccines Open on friday In New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak of monkeypox. )

Testing for monkeypox is also delayed (Dr. Rochelle Walensky of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the number of tests that the United States can perform on monkeypox is Recently went up Many cases of this disease have been detected in sexually transmitted disease clinics because monkeypox lesions can resemble those of sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes. However, the majority of people affected by the current outbreak are gay and bisexual men. Actively about sexual healthAccording to Dr. Hans Henri P. Kruge, Director of the European Region of the World Health Organization.

However, even with the testing and vaccine resources currently available, some experts fear that the horse may have already left the barn.

Dr. Ameshua Dalha, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Health and Security Center, said:

Here’s everything we know about monkeypox vaccination in the United States.Also read more about Everything we know about monkeypoxIncludes symptoms and how they spread.

What is a monkeypox vaccine?

USA has Two vaccines that act against monkeypox With the stockpile of that country. Both are expected to function before and after exposure to monkeypox and before symptoms begin. (The fact that the vaccine works after exposure sets monkeypox apart from diseases like COVID-19.)

Jynneos (Bavarian Nordic) is a new generation vaccine approved By the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019 for monkeypox and smallpox. This is a two-dose vaccine, with each shot taking every four weeks. It uses an attenuated virus and is approved for adults over the age of 18 who are at high risk of developing monkeypox or smallpox.

Jynneos is a vaccine that has been shipped and is currently used in the monkeypox reaction in the United States. Supply is limited, but according to the CDC, more products may be available in the coming weeks and months.

Jynneos is the latest monkeypox vaccine, but it’s not the only one in the US stockpile.

ACAM2000 It is a second-generation smallpox vaccine that also acts on monkeypox. (The two illnesses are closely related and both are caused by the orthopoxvirus, which makes this possible.) If necessary, the US Department of Health and Human Services Ready to ship Although the ACAM2000 vaccine is in higher supply than Jynneos, it remains the second option for monkeypox response due to its side effect profile that is unsafe for certain people.

ACAM2000 Administered by another method Than the typical vaccination we are accustomed to. It is given by immersing the needle in the vaccine solution, which is “stabbed” in the upper arm several times. It causes a local infection (“pox”) and stimulates an immune response.

Although ACAM2000 does not cause smallpox, it is not suitable for all because it contains the live vaccinia virus. It may not be safe for people with immunodeficiency, pregnant women, or people with certain heart or skin diseases.

Smallpox was declared excluded from the world in 1980.U.S. stopped Routine immunization against it in 1972However, some health care workers and people working in the lab may have been vaccinated. According to the CDC, the ACAM2000 Derivatives of DryvaxHelped to eradicate smallpox.

Who needs the monkeypox vaccine?

Currently, most people do not need the monkeypox vaccine. This is not as widespread as most countries started for the COVID-19 vaccine. For starters, monkeypox does not spread easily. You usually need to have long-term intimate contact with someone-think of a club family, sexual partner, or dance partner.

Anyone can catch and spread monkeypox, but in the current outbreak, gay and bisexual men account for a disproportionate number of cases.New York began prior to national response Vaccine provision For those who may be at high risk of getting it.I also run Colorado Pop-up monkeypox vaccine clinic..

According to the CDC, you Criteria for monkeypox vaccine If:

• You have been identified as the contact of a person suffering from monkeypox or may have been exposed by contact tracing.
• Within the last two weeks, I had a sexual partner with monkeypox.
• In the last two weeks, we have multiple sexual partners in high areas. Number of monkeypox cases..

But in the end, availability and eligibility will depend on where you live and the guidance of the state and local health departments. Adalja says that the current outbreak of monkeypox is not a panacea.

In New York City, you need to be an adult man who has sex with a man. You must also have multiple sexual partners or have anonymous sex in the last two weeks. reserve..Same for Colorado Criteria apply..

If you are concerned about the risk of monkeypox or exposure, contact your doctor or local clinic. According to the CDC, Jynneos should be prioritized for people at high risk of becoming severely ill, including those with immunodeficiency.

How effective is the vaccine?

The outbreak of monkeypox in the United States is so new that No data yet Exactly how effective the vaccine is, according to the CDC. The agency states that the effectiveness of Jynneos for monkeypox is supported by animal studies. And although rarely used, ACAM2000 is closely associated with Dryvax, a vaccine that helped get rid of smallpox. The effectiveness of ACAM2000 is supported by animal studies and human clinical trials.

The likelihood of monkeypox after vaccination is unknown, but if it does occur, it should be self-isolated. Symptoms For monkeypox such as rash, CDC says.Vaccine After the most effective exposureAccording to the CDC, the vaccine should be given 4 days after exposure. If given between 4 and 14 days after exposure, the infection may not be prevented, but it is expected to reduce the symptoms of the disease, officials say.

Why does the United States have a stockpile of monkeypox vaccine?

The United States has a stockpile of Jynneos and ACAM2000, not because it was worried about the outbreak of monkeypox (which has been prevalent in some African countries for many years), but in case smallpox becomes a public threat again. there is. Smallpox was declared eliminated in the 1980s and Last naturally occurring It happened in the United States in the 1949s. However, smallpox is usually much more severe than monkeypox, and authorities are concerned that it could be used as a biological weapon.

“The stockpile was created in the case of a biological weapons attack on the United States by smallpox,” says Adalja. According to Adalja, in this case, health authorities will not distribute vaccines or use only new generation vaccines.

“If you have a smallpox attack, you’ll be using the vaccine you need to deal with it,” he added.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informative purposes only and is not intended to provide health or medical advice. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider if you have any questions about your medical condition or health goals.