The Netherlands has about 100,000 doses of the vaccine against smallpox on the shelf, with which the monkeypox virus can probably be combated well. That is what the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) says. But no decision has yet been made on the use of the drug.
According to the RIVM, “more time is needed first to map out the extent of the spread of the virus. But we assume that it has spread further than we currently have in view,” said a spokesperson.
The vaccine against smallpox can prevent infection with the monkeypox virus and in people who have just tested positive, the vaccine can ensure that the complaints remain limited.
The smallpox vaccine has not been administered in the Netherlands since 1974. Thanks to the drug, smallpox has been driven out of Western countries. Due to the lack of vaccinations, people under the age of 50 are now mainly at risk of contracting the monkeypox virus.
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By: Peter Visser
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