The UK government has ordered more than 150,000 doses of the mpox vaccine in response to the increasing spread of a new strain of the virus across the African continent. The World Health Organization recently declared a global emergency over the surge of cases across the continent, particularly a new strain called clade Ib. No cases of this strain have yet been identified in the UK, and healthy officials are being proactive in boosting the readiness of the country.
At the briefing on Monday, officials from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that there were three possible scenarios for an outbreak in the country. These included small clusters of cases, manageable epidemic, and community-wide transmission in many environments, such as in hospitals, care homes, schools, and prisons. The officials clarified that these were not predictions but models to guide preparedness efforts.
Vaccination plays a central part in our defenses, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA Dr. Susan Hopkins stated. In addition to that, we are making sure clinicians can quickly identify cases, rapid testing is available and protocols are in place for the safe clinical care and to prevent transmission.
Mpox is an infection previously known as monkeypox that primarily spreads by close direct physical contact. Common symptoms of mpox include flu-like symptoms and skin lesions; besides, it’s not that serious a disease, but lethal potentials may appear in some vulnerable groups of children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised patients.
It will be administered in doses across the most vulnerable population; it is targeted especially at men who have sex with men, particular categories of healthcare workers, and those who actually were in close contact with the confirmed cases. The rollout started in 2022 and had administered two doses to about 50,000 people, which results in an 80% protection rate.
The Director of Vaccinations and Screening in NHS England, Steve Russell, was among the call made to the above groups asking them to get vaccinated which was the leading immunoprotective measure. There is still a window for people to accept if they are given the opportunity thereafter. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the government shall keep an eye on those developments and take care that the country has done everything to be as prepared as possible for any instance that may arise.
Such a strenuous immunization activity will be able to hold off the spread of the clade Ib strain in the UK and serve to heighten national resilience toward the mpox virus.
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