Vaccination campaign mpox completed

In the spring of 2022, there was evidence of the spread of mpox in Europe for the first time

More than 18 thousand people in the Netherlands have received one or more vaccinations against mpox. The vaccination campaign was completed last month. This campaign started at the end of July last year, shortly after the start of the outbreak.

The last vaccination was done at the end of last month. In the autumn of 2022, the number of infections decreased sharply. It was therefore decided to also complete the vaccination campaign. Most people received two injections a few weeks apart. In total, more than 18,000 first and almost 12,000 second vaccinations were administered.

Close contacts
Close contacts of people who have tested positive will still be offered a vaccination. But this number is currently low. In January 2023, one person tested positive for mpox and in December 2022, three people tested.

Route of infection
The virus and the spread of the virus are still under investigation. Despite the low numbers of infections, the number may increase again. For that reason, the Minister of VWS (Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport) asked at the end of 2022 whether vaccination should also be carried out in 2023. This advice comes in March.

Campaign 2022
In the spring of 2022, there was evidence of the spread of mpox in Europe for the first time. The disease then spread quickly in large parts of the continent, in North America, but also beyond. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport then decided to offer people with a high risk of contracting the disease a vaccination as a control measure against the disease. The vaccination campaign started in the summer.

Bron: RIVM