According to the WHO, the classic smallpox vaccine is 85% effective in combating the monkeypox outbreak. However, since the disease was considered eradicated several years ago, this formula is no longer administered. are the reasons not to do it? Experts answered this dilemma.
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Regarding the recent cases of monkey poxwhich already rise to more than a hundredwith one of them confirmed in Argentina, health alerts have been lit around the world.
Previously, the World Health Organization (OMS), through an article on its website, detailed that the human or classical smallpox vaccine was 85% effective in preventing severe monkeypox from developing in confirmed cases.
However, in several countries inoculation with this formula was stopped several years agoin 1978this because the disease is considered eradicated.
According to academic of the School of Public Health of the University of Chile, Jorge Ramírez, no one under 40 years of age has received the smallpox vaccine in the country.
Manufacture a human vaccine or create a monkey vaccine?
The virologist at the University of Chile, Vivian Luchsingerexplained that the reasons for not continuing to administer this vaccine correspond to the fact that this no longer produced: “It is hardly feasible to use it because production is not in progress, and implementing it is not so easy“.
Another reason why it is not feasible to use it to combat the monkeypox outbreak is that “It is not a vaccine that has been approved with current bioethical standards”added the professional.
Asked about this dilemma, the expert stated that it is possible to create a new vaccine focused on the simian virusHowever, “what it would take more time is to carry out clinical studies for it to be approved“.
For his part, Ramírez affirmed that re-using the vaccine against smallpox to deal with the new outbreak it would not be a good decision.
This, since “The ‘monkey’ disease for now has a mild course, it has a low contagion rate, person to person is not very contagious”said.
Does not use this vaccine mean a risk?
According to Ramirez, the risk of not using this vaccine in those who have not been exposed to the virus or the immunization is the same as in people who have been.
“His long-term immunity is minor than those who were exposed (over 40 at least, either by the vaccine or even the virus itself in people over 60-70), “he said.
Nevertheless, “So much time has passed that this theoretical long-term protection must have been fading: in short, we would all be in the same condition”warned the professional.
Despite the rise in monkeypox infections that has been recorded in recent days, Ramírez stresses that it is a disease endemicnamely, there are cases in a stable way.
Added to this, “The sporadic outbreaks outside there have been limited and mild, few cases, few deaths”Explain.
The contagion prevention method is restricted to “monitor the cases that may appear and cut the chain of transmission”this since monkeypox “It is much less risky than respiratory viruses, it requires much closer contact to pass from one person to another”Ramirez described.
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