By
Associated Press
People at risk who received a single dose of the monkeypox vaccine appear to have a significantly lower chance of getting it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday, although they recommended a second. dosage for complete protection.
It is the first confirmation from US public health officials of
how the Jynneos vaccine is combating this virus
, which is primarily spread among men who have sex with men.
"These new data provide us with a level of cautious optimism that the vaccine is working as intended," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
A man receives the monkeypox vaccine at the Balboa Sports Complex vaccination center in Encino, Los Angeles.
MediaNewsGroup via Getty Images
The data comes from 32 states and corresponds to cases that occurred between July 31 and September 3.
Some 800,000 first and second doses of the vaccine have been administered
across the country so far
to people considered to be at high risk of becoming infected, said Bob Fenton, the White House's national monkeypox response coordinator.
For now, there is no scientifically conclusive data demonstrating the efficacy of the Jynneos vaccine against monkeypox.
Experts ask parents not to worry about monkeypox during back-to-school
Aug. 30, 202201:51
But new figures from the CDC show that unvaccinated men, ages 18 to 49, who are considered eligible for the vaccine,
they were 14 times more likely to be infected with monkeypox than those who received at least one dose two weeks earlier.
Still, laboratory studies, according to Walensky, show that the highest level of immunity against the virus is reached after people receive a second dose of the vaccine, which he called "really important."
The United States is the country with the most cases of monkeypox in the world.
More than 25,000 cases have been registered so far
.
The infection can cause rashes, fever, body aches, and chills.
[Monkeypox: what are the symptoms and how long does it last]
The number of new cases, however, has fallen in recent weeks, but there is also a sign that racial disparities have worsened, with Black people accounting for about 47% of new cases reported the week of 9/11.
