:quality(50)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/semana/Z2VMP3D42VEKRBARA2X62JMMH4.jpg "European health authority rejects mass vaccination against monkeypox")
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published the ‘Rapid risk assessment of the outbreak of monkeypox in several countries: first update’ in which it is noted that it rejects mass vaccination against monkeypox.
From the beginning of May 2022 and until July 7, cases of monkeypox have been reported in 26 countries of the European Union. So far, 4,908 cases have been reported in the EU/EEA, representing 65 percent of all cases reported worldwide in 2022 in this outbreak in non-endemic countries.
In the current outbreak, monkeypox cases are relatively mild and are still being identified primarily among groups of men who have sex with men (MSM).
Despite this, there is the potential for transmission to other population groups, although the severity may be greater among children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.
In this sense, the agency reported that the risk to people who have multiple sexual partners (including some groups of MSM), remains moderate and low for the general population.
The rapid risk assessment contemplated in the work includes new information on the different clinical pictures of current cases of monkeypox, as well as insights from the modeling work carried out in collaboration between the ECDC and the European Authority for Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies. (HERA).
This modeling work evaluates vaccination strategies as outbreak response measures as a complement to case isolation and effective contact tracing to control the outbreak.
“Early diagnosis, isolation, effective contact tracing and vaccination strategies are key to effective control of this outbreak. Mass vaccination against monkeypox is neither required nor recommended at this point,” he prays.
Therefore, when developing vaccination strategies, consideration should be given to prioritizing MSM groups at highest risk of exposure, as well as front-line staff at risk of occupational exposure.
In settings where greater vaccine uptake is expected, post-exposure prophylactic vaccination of close contacts of cases or even ring vaccination should also be considered.
Finally, the ECDC advised continuing activities to raise awareness among health professionals in all specialties. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) are central elements in trying to control this outbreak.
*With information from Europa Press.
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