WHO approves first monkeypox vaccine

Tengrinews.kz - The World Health Organization has officially approved the use of the first vaccine against monkeypox. This approval is expected to expand access to preventive measures for millions of people in Africa, where the disease has already infected around 20,000 individuals.
The MVA-BN vaccine, developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, has passed the WHO’s prequalification process. This approval will speed up the availability of the vaccine, which is crucial for controlling the outbreak, according to the United Nations.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the prequalification of this vaccine is a significant step in the fight against monkeypox.

“We urgently need to scale up procurement, donations, and deployment to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are most needed,” he stated.

The MVA-BN vaccine has an 82% efficacy rate when two doses are administered to adults with a four-week interval. When vaccine supplies are limited, WHO recommends using a single dose, which has a 76% efficacy rate.
The vaccine can be used for infants, young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems when the benefits outweigh potential risks.
According to WHO, prequalification of the vaccine will help accelerate procurement by governments and international agencies such as GAVI and UNICEF, and may facilitate the approval process in countries worldwide.
In Kazakhstan, the chief sanitary doctor has signed a decree on measures to prevent the import and spread of monkeypox. The document outlines sanitary and preventive measures against the disease. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektanov has also addressed the spread of monkeypox and warned Kazakh citizens.
The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan has assessed the likelihood of monkeypox appearing in the country.
Monkeypox is transmitted from rodents like mice and squirrels, or from infected individuals. Symptoms can appear within 5-21 days after exposure and include high fever, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, chills, and skin rashes resembling chickenpox.
The disease, which lacks a specific treatment, is managed with antiviral medications.