Monkeypox in Bavaria: vaccination or not?
That's what the Ministry of Health says
Created: 05/27/2022, 08:05
By: Katarina Amtmann
Are vaccinations against monkeypox possible?
(Iconic image) © IMAGO / Christian Ohde
Monkeypox is spreading, and there are also cases in Bavaria.
Will there be a vaccination and if so, how will it work?
The ministry has spoken.
Munich – If Corona was the top topic in terms of health for the last two years, it is now monkeypox.
There are three cases of this - as of May 25th - in Bavaria.
Bavaria: Vaccination against monkeypox?
"No vaccine approved"
But how should it continue now?
For example, will there be a vaccine against monkeypox like there was against Corona?
"There is currently no vaccine approved for use against monkeypox in the EU," explains a spokesman for the Bavarian Ministry of Health when asked by
Merkur.de
.
“The vaccine IMVANEX from the manufacturer Bavarian Nordic is approved in the EU for vaccination against smallpox.
The use of the available smallpox vaccine to vaccinate against monkeypox would represent an off-label use (application outside the approval), which would be possible in principle within the framework of medical freedom of therapy.
The World Health Organization (WHO) puts the effectiveness of the smallpox vaccination against monkeypox at around 85%.”
Possible vaccination against monkeypox: Many questions are currently being discussed
But how would a possible vaccination work?
Who should be vaccinated, will there even be recommendations for certain groups?
"For which people a vaccination is an option is currently being checked at the federal level by the Robert Koch Institute and the Paul Ehrlich Institute," the spokesman continued.
On Thursday, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) presented recommendations "for the management of contact persons to a person suffering from monkeypox.
However, a statement from the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), based at the Robert Koch Institute, on vaccination against monkeypox or post- or pre-exposure prophylaxis is not yet available.”
Monkeypox in Germany: is the vaccination coming soon?
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Monkeypox vaccination?
ECDC publishes risk assessment
According to the spokesman, questions about the procurement and distribution of vaccines at the federal level are still under discussion.
“Here, too, it is primarily up to the federal government to determine procurement and distribution as well as the distribution channels.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published a risk assessment on May 23, 2022.
This is a weak recommendation for post-exposure prophylaxis - i.e. vaccination after close contact with an infected person - with a smallpox vaccination.
This recommendation applies, after careful benefit-risk assessment, to people with an increased risk of a serious illness," the spokesman told
Merkur.de
.
Monkey pox in Bavaria
First case detected on May 20th
Two more cases confirmed on May 24
Monkeypox: Three cases in Bavaria - no serious courses
“So far, these have been isolated cases here and nationwide;
serious courses have not been reported so far," explains the spokesman for the Bavarian Ministry of Health to
Merkur.de
.
(came)
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