It will take a few more weeks before the GGD will vaccinate the first people against the monkeypox virus as a preventive measure. According to the GGD, this is because we have too few vaccines. “There is not enough for everyone who wants, so we have to make a selection.”
“I understand that people want a vaccine against monkeypox as soon as possible, but give us time. We have to do it accurately,” says Professor of Skin Infections Henry de Vries, who works at the GGD Amsterdam-Amstelland.
No preventive shot yet
A week and a half ago, GGD Amsterdam-Amstelland was asked by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to preventively vaccinate people who run an increased risk of infection with monkey pox.
“Injections are already being taken, but especially in people who have been in contact with people with monkey pox,” says De Vries. Preventive shots have not yet been taken by GGD Amsterdam-Amstelland.
‘Count on a few weeks before we start’
The GGD Amsterdam-Amstelland receives many calls from people who indicate that they want the vaccine. “Unfortunately, we have to say no to that. That preparation just needs time, and we have only been working on it for 1.5 weeks,” says De Vries.
“We took 4 months about corona (preparations for vaccination, ed.). I don’t expect it to take that long, but count on a few weeks before we can start injections.”
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Limited numbers of vaccines
According to Professor De Vries, the reason for this care is due to the limited number of vaccines that are available. “We don’t have an infinite supply. We have 70,000, but everyone has to get two. So we can vaccinate about 35,000 people. That won’t be enough for everyone who wants to, so we have to make a selection,” he explains. from.
“And because we have so few vaccines, it’s important that we vaccinate the right group now. You want to vaccinate the people who have the greatest chance of contracting the virus.” Simply supplementing the number of vaccines is not so easy, according to de Vries.
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“We can now vaccinate about 35,000 people,” says Professor Henry de Vries of GGD Amsterdam-Amstelland.
Through the vaccines in no time
In Germany, France and the United States, shots have been taken for weeks. De Vries cites an example from New York, which indicates why it is important to carefully select which people to inject.
“In New York they immediately started the injection, but there you also see what happens if you don’t prepare it properly. They were through the vaccines in no time and the question is whether those vaccines end up in the good arms. have come,” he says.
Registration System
In addition to selecting the people who should receive a vaccination, the GGD must also set up a registration system. “We get data from the government about how we should transport the vaccines, which needles we need and how we should store it.”
Also putting the jab is different than with corona. “The monkeypox vaccine puts you under the skin, unlike in the muscle with the corona vaccine. So we also have to train people to do that properly. In addition, we have a staff shortage due to the summer. We really need the time,” says deVries.
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“The first vaccination campaign will come in a few weeks rather than a few months,” says De Vries.
656 infections
The number of people in the Netherlands who have been diagnosed with the monkey pox virus rose to 656 on Tuesday. According to GGD De Vries, it is important that we vaccinate as soon as possible.
“We have to get that curve down. If you look at the number of people who get tested and then turn out to be positive, that’s high. Then you wonder: have we mapped everyone well?”
‘Different outbreak than in African countries’
Almost all of them are men who have sex with men, but in principle anyone can get the virus. It spreads through close contact such as cuddling or sex. “From previous outbreaks, in Central and West African countries, we see that it is also transmitted non-sexually.”
“For example, by children with skin-to-skin contact and in families. A number of children have already been diagnosed with monkey pox, and they are doing well. A few people have also ended up in hospital. But the outbreak we see here is different from how it occurs in African countries.”
Who is eligible for a vaccine?
On July 7, 2022, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport decided to preventively vaccinate people who are at increased risk of an infection with monkey pox. It’s about:
- Men who have sex with men and transgender people who are now receiving the HIV prevention pill PrEP through the GGD
- People on the waiting list for the HIV prevention pill PrEP
- Men who have sex with men and who regularly visit the STI clinic.
32,000 people are eligible for the preventive vaccination. You will only receive a vaccination if you have received an invitation. This involves two injections, with 4 weeks in between. In combination with an old smallpox vaccination, one vaccination is sufficient.
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