Will we see a return to health restrictions and a generalization of vaccination against monkeypox in the coming months?
Even if the number of cases remains infinitesimal, the United States already plans to vaccinate people who have been in close contact with patients suffering from this disease normally confined to the African continent. The country now lists five probable or confirmed cases, but it is preparing to see this figure increase, reports Le Figaro.
Ditto for Spain, which indicated Thursday preparing the purchase of thousands of smallpox vaccines. As for Belgium, it is re-entering the path of health restrictions, having decided to put in place mandatory isolation periods of 21 days for all infected people. Finally, in France, the French health authorities recommend the injection of the classic smallpox vaccine to adults whose “contact is considered to be at risk” with an infected person. Invited on RTL this Wednesday, May 25, Brigitte Bourguignon was in favor of vaccination of caregivers and contact cases.
#Monkeypox : “5 proven cases in France”, according to the Minister of Health and Prevention @BrigBourguignon in #RTLMatin. “It will be a targeted vaccination with caregivers and contact cases” pic.twitter.com/rjTORfUQYI
– RTL France (@RTLFrance) May 25, 2022
The lethality rate of monkeypox is generally established between 1% and 10%, according to a press release from the World Health Organization. A reverse speech from that given by Dr. Peter McCullough, who reports: « And 2019 article by Simpson et al. summarizes 40 years of data on monkeypox, a zoonosis from which people aged 50 and over are generally protected. The cases mainly concern young men, with low mortality except in people with advanced HIV. »
Simpson et al, Chatham House, London, monkeypox conference in 2019 summarizes 40 years of data on this established zoonosis. Prior smallpox program protective for those age 50 and older in general. Cases mainly in young men. Mortality low except in advanced concurrent HIV. pic.twitter.com/2w82hBOHwZ
— Peter McCullough, MD MPH (@P_McCulloughMD) May 23, 2022
Same story with Dr. Robert Malone who writes in an article on Substack: « [La variole du singe] does not have a high mortality rate. Unless there has been genetic alteration, either by evolution or intentional genetic manipulation, it is not a significant biological threat and has never been considered a high-risk pathogen in the past. So stop the fear talk, misinformation and disinformation.”
A tone of speech which obviously does not intend to hold the president of the United States, Joe Biden, who declared Monday that monkey pox, “it is something that everyone should be worried about”.
Monkey pox: ‘It’s something everyone should be worried about’ warns Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/X51Dgp0QCM
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) May 23, 2022
“We want to maximize the distribution of vaccines”
The United States intends to vaccinate contact cases. “We want to maximize the distribution of vaccines to those who we know would benefit,” Jennifer McQuiston, a manager at the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), said Monday.
“That is, those who have been in contact with a known monkeypox patient, such as caregivers, very close personal contacts, especially those at risk of developing a severe case of the disease,” he said. she added during a press conference.
One case has been confirmed in Massachusetts and four others are about to be analyzed but considered very probable (one in New York, one in Florida, two in Utah). All are men who have traveled outside the United States.
After the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Italy and Canada, five cases are now confirmed in France, reports France info.
An increased risk of contagion through sexual intercourse?
In Europe, we want to be more reassuring. The risk of monkey pox contagion is “very low” in the general population, the European Union disease agency said on Monday, reports BFMTV. On the other hand, she emphasizes that it is “high” in people with several sexual partners.
“For the general population, the probability of contagion is very low,” says the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in its first risk assessment since the unusual appearance of dozens of cases in Europe and America. North.
“However, the likelihood of transmission of the virus through close contact, for example during sex with people with multiple partners, is considered high,” the agency notes.
Two possible vaccines
In the United States, two vaccines against smallpox are authorized by the Medicines Agency (FDA) and can be used. The first, ACAM2000, is a live attenuated vaccine, not recommended for immunocompromised people. The United States has 100 million doses.
Because of “potentially significant” side effects, its large-scale distribution would require “a real discussion”, announced Jennifer McQuiston.
The second, Jynneos, is also a live but non-replicative vaccine, and therefore deemed safer. The United States only has 1,000 doses, but that number is expected to “rise rapidly in the coming weeks,” according to the official.
In France, vaccination against smallpox was definitively lifted in 1984. In an opinion issued this Tuesday afternoon, the High Authority for Health (HAS) “recommends the implementation of a reactive vaccination strategy, that is i.e. around a confirmed case”. It recommends the vaccination of “adults whose contact with an infected person is considered to be at risk, including exposed health professionals without personal protective measures”. The HAS adds that “this vaccination must be carried out only with the third generation vaccine”.
For its part, Spain announced Thursday to prepare the purchase of thousands of smallpox vaccines, normally intended to fight against smallpox. “We must find a way to quickly buy these vaccines because it is a very valuable tool to stop the epidemic”, commented to the Madrid daily El Pais Elena Andradas, the director general of public health for the community of Madrid.
Towards a return of health restrictions?
In Belgium, in response to monkey pox infections, the authorities have decided to introduce mandatory isolation periods of 21 days for all infected people. A decision that other European countries could adopt, reports Midi Libre.
Monkeypox begins with a high fever and quickly develops into a skin rash, with the formation of scabs, especially on the face. The ECDC recommends the isolation of all cases until the lesions caused by the disease “are completely healed”.
Unsurprisingly, by these announcement effects around the arrival of monkeypox, some, like the president of the Patriots Florian Philippot, see it as a probable return of a staging similar to that held by the media. general public and politicians during the Covid-19 crisis, which would aim to justify in particular the return of restrictions on freedoms such as the health pass and confinement. A statement that aroused the ire of Dr. Laurent Alexandre.
what do you offer @f_philippot ?
That monkeypox patients freely infect everyone around them?
You are truly IRRESPONSIBLE! https://t.co/rcRphLgbaU
— Doctor Laurent Alexandre (@dr_l_alexandre) May 23, 2022
André Bercoff also did not fail to mock the media effervescence around the announcements of this disease: “The labs can be happy, the doctors on the trays can be happy, Ursula can be very happy. It will continue. Get ready for half a century of variants, viruses and luckily bites. »
“Get ready, Sud Radio listeners, we will have 50 years to go: after monkey pox, hedgehog mumps and camel scarlet fever? The labs, stage doctor and Ursula must be happy!”
https://t.co/HMJ1cO4McO pic.twitter.com/qq9zqw0hoz
— Sud Radio (@SudRadio) May 23, 2022