Netherlands Begins to Vaccinate Monkeypox

The Netherlands National Institute of Public and Environmental Health (RIVM) says that the Amsterdam City Health Service and The Hague City Health Service have started monkey smallpox vaccination to a number of residents.

“Vaccination is only possible if you have received a personal invitation from the City Public Health Service (GGD) or an HIV treatment center,” RIVM said in a statement.

A total of 50 people will be vaccinated in the center of Amsterdam on the first day and 100 people will be vaccinated every day. Most of the 32,000 people invited for the vaccine were men in same-sex relationships and transgender individuals.

The vaccine will be given in two doses, according to the agency, and a second dose will be given four weeks after the first injection. There are a total of 70,000 vaccines Imvanex developed by the Danish Bavarian Nordic company and approved by the European Medicines Agency. According to data released by RIVM on July 21, the virus was detected in 712 people in the Netherlands.

The World Health Organization on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency, the highest level of alert for a disease.

Monkeypox can be transmitted through contact with body fluids, skin lesions, or internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects, according to the WHO.

People who are potentially at increased risk of infection include healthcare workers, commercial sex workers, household members and other close contacts of active cases, such as sexual partners, the global health agency said.

Other groups at high risk of developing severe disease from monkeypox include pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals. These groups need to be specially protected to prevent infection.

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