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Targeted immunization based on risk — not a mass vaccination campaign — is the way to go, experts say
Jun 15, 2022
As the number of confirmed monkeypox cases continues to rise in Canada, infectious disease and public health experts are providing vaccinations to those at risk of infection.
Since monkeypox and smallpox are both part of the orthopox family of viruses, experts say some vaccines will work against both.
But the vaccines being recommended for use against monkeypox today are different from those used in the last century’s global effort to eradicate smallpox, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
“Some countries have maintained strategic supplies of older smallpox vaccines from the Smallpox Eradication Programme (SEP) which concluded in 1980,” said the WHO’s interim monkeypox vaccination guidance issued on Tuesday.
“These first-generation vaccines held in national reserves are not recommended for monkeypox at this time, as they do not meet current safety and manufacturing standards.”
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/monkeypox-smallpox-vaccine-imvamune-1.6488917