WHO Says Monkeypox Vaccines Efficacy Below 100%

Vaccines against monkeypox are not 100% effective, that is why people must reduce their own risks of infection, WHO technical lead Rosamund Lewis said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2022) Vaccines against monkeypox are not 100% effective, that is why people must reduce their own risks of infection, WHO technical lead Rosamund Lewis said on Wednesday.

"We are not expecting a 100% efficacy for these vaccines for the prevention of monkeypox. We don't have the exact information ... it reminds us that vaccine is not a silver bullet? That every person who feels that they are at risk and appreciates the level of risk and wishes to lower their risk have many interventions at their disposal, which includes vaccination where available, but also includes protection from activities, where they may be at risk," Lewis said during a briefing.

In July, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.

Most people usually recover from monkeypox within a few weeks without treatment.

The symptoms are initially flu-like, such as fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes, which are then followed by a widespread rash. According to the WHO, the disease can be more severe in young children, pregnant women, and individuals who are immunocompromised.

The monkeypox virus is not easily transmitted and usually spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, with an infected individual. The virus can enter a human body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, eyes, nose and mouth, and via bodily fluids. Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease. It originates in animals like rodents and primates and occurs in remote parts of Central and West Africa.

Over 31,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported worldwide across more than 70 countries, and 12 deaths have been attributed to the disease.