The US intensifies vaccination against monkeypox and has 56,000 doses

First modification: 29/06/2022 – 03:26

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Washington (AFP) – Health authorities in the United States reported that 56,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine were immediately made available, a batch five times larger than has been distributed so far, in high-transmission areas, as part of a large-scale immunization strategy. scale.

Until now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) only recommended monkeypox vaccines for people who had confirmed exposure to the disease.

“But now, we are recommending that the vaccines be provided to people with known exposure to smallpox who were contacted by public health, and also to those who were recently exposed who may not yet be identified through case or contact tracing,” he said. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

Some examples include men who have had sex with other men who have had multiple sexual partners in places where there is monkeypox or areas where the disease is spreading.

Walensky said 4,700 cases have been detected globally during the current outbreak that began in early May, including 306 in the United States that have not been fatal.

Monkeypox is a viral disease endemic in West and Central African countries that causes symptoms such as fever and rash. It can be risky in people with a compromised immune system and is spread through close contacts.

David Boucher, an official with the US Department of Health and Human Services, said the federal government has so far distributed 10,000 doses and 300 prescriptions, adding to the 56,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine distributed Tuesday.

This two-dose vaccine is given 28 days apart and produces full effect two weeks after the second dose.

The government is securing an additional batch of 240,000 doses in the coming weeks, with 1.6 million expected to be available this year.

Analysts have said that the true number of monkeypox cases in the United States is likely higher than the official record, and that part of the strategy will be widespread testing and access to testing.

The CDC has increased testing to 78 locations in 48 states, “with reserve capacity to do 10,000 tests per week nationally,” it said in a circular.

© 2022 AFP

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