In response to a surprising and growing outbreak of monkeypox, U.S. health officials on Tuesday expanded the group of people recommended to be vaccinated against the monkeypox virus.
They also said they were providing more monkeypox vaccine, working to expand the tests and taking other steps to try to anticipate the epidemic.
“We will continue to take aggressive action against this virus,” said Dr. Ashish Ja, COVID-19’s White House Response Coordinator, who also plays a role in the way the government handles monkeypox.
Read more: EU regulator considers use of smallpox vaccine to deal with monkeypox outbreaks
The administration said it was expanding the range of people recommended to be vaccinated to include those who may realize for themselves that they may have been infected. This includes men who have recently had sex with men at parties or other gatherings in cities where cases of monkeypox have been found.
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Most patients with monkeypox experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illnesses can develop rashes and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.
The disease is endemic in parts of Africa where humans have been infected by rodent or small animal bites. It is not usually easily spread among humans.
Cases began to appear in Europe and the United States last month. Many – but not all – of those infected with the virus have traveled abroad. Most were men who had sex with men, but health officials stressed that anyone could get monkeypox.
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The number of cases continued to grow. As of Tuesday, the United States had identified 306 cases in 27 states and the District of Columbia. More than 4,700 cases have been found in more than 40 other countries outside Africa where the virus is endemic.
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There are no deaths in the United States, and officials say the risk to the American public is low. But they are taking steps to reassure people that there are medical measures in place to address the growing problem.
One of the steps was to expand who is recommended to be vaccinated. Vaccines are usually given to build people’s immunity before they become infected. But if given within days or even weeks after the first infection, some vaccines can reduce the severity of symptoms.
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A two-dose vaccine, Jynneos, has been approved for monkeypox in the United States. high risk of side effects and is not recommended for people with HIV. So this is the Jynneos vaccine, which employees are trying to use as a primary weapon against the smallpox epidemic.
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So far, the government has deployed more than 9,000 doses of the vaccine. U.S. officials said Tuesday they are increasing the amount of Jynneos vaccine they provide by immediately distributing 56,000 doses and another 240,000 in the coming weeks. They promised more than 1 million more in the coming months.
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Another change: Until now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that vaccines be given after exposure to people who are identified by health professionals as close personal contacts to the cases. But on Tuesday, CDC officials said they were extending the recommendation to people who had never been identified but may realize for themselves that they may have been infected.
This may include men who have sex with men who have recently had multiple sexual partners in a place where monkeypox is known to occur or in an area where monkeypox is spread.
“It’s almost like we’re expanding the definition of who a contact can be,” said Jennifer McQueston of the CDC. “If people have been to a party or other place where monkeypox is known to spread, we recommend that they come for a vaccine,” she said.
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The expansion of the CDC follows similar steps taken in New York and the District of Columbia.
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The District of Columbia has identified 19 cases, but case investigations have revealed that some of the infected men were at gatherings where they hugged, kissed or in other forms of intimate contact with strangers, Anil Mangla told DC Health Department.
It was clear that “we were missing something” and we had to start offering services to others, said Mangla, an epidemiologist.
Last Thursday, New York City’s health department – armed with 1,000 doses of Jynneos from the federal government – announced it was opening a temporary clinic to offer the vaccine to all gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who have had multiple or anonymous sexual encounters. partners in the previous two weeks.
Read more: A mass vaccination campaign against monkeypox is needed, experts say
But all the meetings quickly filled that day, and the last round of meetings was Monday. “Until we get more supplies, we can’t run additional vaccinations,” Patrick Galahu, a spokesman for the city’s health department, said in an email.
The District of Columbia Health Department took a similar step Monday. The department began hosting meetings at 1pm on Monday, but had to stop after 20 minutes, Mangla said.
The department had only 200 doses of Jynneos, and it was now clear that the department did not have vaccines or staff to continue recruiting, he said.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
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