Last month, the first invitations were sent to people who have an increased risk of getting monkeypox and vaccinations have already been taken in all GGD Municipal Health Service regions. Despite the holiday period, 10,440 vaccinations have already been given in recent weeks.
The message
In May, the first person with monkeypox was reported in the Netherlands. After this, the number increased rapidly with a peak in July. After that, the number of daily notifications decreased. There now appears to be a stabilization. Worldwide, there also seems to be a leveling off in some countries, despite the fact that many people are still infected every day.
The vast majority of people become infected through sex (96%), with 92% of those who tested positive had one or more casual partners. More than 4 in 10 people had group sex. Especially MSM men who have sex with men (men who have sex with men) became infected (98%), but straight men and women also got monkeypox.
Vaccination
The effect of the vaccinations is not yet reflected in the number of reports. It takes up to 6 weeks for the full vaccination to work. Despite the fact that the drug has been tested for safety and effectiveness against classic smallpox, it is not yet known how great the effect is against monkeypox. It is therefore important not to have intimate contact in the event of possible complaints (with yourself or your sex partner), even after vaccination, and to have yourself tested.