And 3 other questions about smallpox vaccines
If you were born before 1974, chances are you had a smallpox vaccine in your childhood. Does that also protect against monkey pox? Read these and 3 other smallpox vaccine questions here.
1 Have I had a smallpox vaccine in the past? And does that still help?
In the Netherlands until 1974 everyone vaccinated against smallpox† In the years that followed, groups of soldiers were called up for the smallpox shot. Minister Kuipers wrote in the letter to parliament that this smallpox vaccination is expected to still provide protection against monkeypox. If you were born in the Netherlands before 1974, there is a good chance that you are protected.
2 What vaccines are there against monkeypox?
The smallpox vaccine that was given until 1974 no longer exists. Imvanex vaccine (also called Jynneos) is a new third-generation smallpox vaccine, which also works against monkeypox. So it has been approved, but some additional safety studies are needed. For example, it has not yet been approved for children up to the age of 18, which has yet to be investigated. The Netherlands has purchased 100,000 doses of Imvanex in 2019. The vaccine is given in two injections in the upper arm 4 weeks apart. You may only need a single booster from a single shot, if you’ve had a smallpox shot before, but the package insert isn’t clear about this yet.
If you have been in close contact with someone with monkey pox, Imvanex can protect you afterwards, if it is preferably given within 4 days, according to the RIVM. If you are later, there is still no problem, because 14 days after the contact it can still help, supplements the directive. With ‘intensive contact’, think of sexual contacts, roommates, and people who have had contact with skin wounds without proper protection or who have been within 1.5 meters of a patient for more than 15 minutes.
Incidentally, an alternative vaccine has been registered in America against monkey pox under the name ACAM2000†
3 Why isn’t everyone getting the smallpox vaccine now?
That is not necessary, according to Minister Ernst Kuiper. “The way monkeypox is transmitted and the relatively mild complaints in most people mean that no pressure on care is expected,” he writes in a letter to parliament on May 21. However, people who have been in contact with infected patients and who have run a high risk are offered a one-time vaccination.
4 What medicines are there for monkey pox?
The good news is that your body can usually fight the virus well on its own and the disease is usually mild. If not, you can be given immunoglobulin, i.e. passive immunization with VIG (vaccinia immunoglobulin), so the guideline† This will help your immune system to fight monkey pox. This is a difficult to obtain drug.
There are also antivirals, but unfortunately they also have some drawbacks according to the guideline, such as tecovirimat (two-week course of tablets, but not yet approved in Europe), cidofovir (unfortunately not good for the kidneys) and brincidofovir (not yet approved). .
You can read more about monkey pox here: https://www.plusonline.nl/griep-en-verkouheid/apenpokkenvirus-wat-is-het-en-is-het-eloos
