Monkeypox: Do we need Covid-like mass vaccination? Here's what WHO said
1 min read 27 May 2022, 04:16 PM ISTA WHO official said on Friday that the priority needs to be containing monkeypox in non-endemic countries and this can be done through quick actions
PremiumEven as monkeypox cases are growing in numbers in several countries, World Health Organization (WHO) said that there is no need for mass vaccination or mass immunisation against the virus.
Experts have pointed out that monkeypox is not very transmissible. The virus spreads only through close contact, i.e. prolonged contact - often skin-to-skin with the infected person. And in such a scenario the virus can be contained through quick actions. “The priority is to contain monkeypox in non-endemic countries," WHO official said.
"We think if we put the right measures in place now we can contain it easily," Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness said at a technical briefing to member states at the UN health agency's annual assembly.
This has been also reported in certain non-endemic countries including the USA, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Austria, Canary Islands, Israel, and Switzerland.
Monkeypox needs to be stopped from spreading
She stressed that there was a window of opportunity to prevent further spread, urging the general public not to be worry since transmission is much slower than other viruses such as the coronavirus.
WHO officials said that there was no need for mass vaccination at present, but targeted vaccination where available for close contacts of people infected.
"Case investigation, contact tracing, isolation at home will be your best bets," said Rosamund Lewis, WHO head of the smallpox secretariat which is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme.
