Despite the low health risk certified by epidemiologists (“Virus less dangerous than chickenpox”), the so-called “monkeypox” or monkeypox however, continues to keep the level of attention on the part of the health authorities high. To cope with the spread of the disease, the Ministry of Health gave the green light for vaccination also in Italy, with the extended use of the already existing remedy, indicating in a circular the modalities and the audience of the immunization. For now, the dose distribution plan it concerns only some regions.
When and where you can get vaccinated
The doses of the smallpox vaccine were purchased by the European Union, as for Covid. Our country belongs to it 16 thousand in all: 5,200 have already arrived, the others are expected by the end of August. With a further package that will probably be sent by the end of 2022. From Monday 8 August at the Spallanzani Institute in Rome the administrations for the categories indicated by the Circular of the Ministry of Health. Initially, the available doses will be assigned to four Regions (those that have registered the highest number of cases): Lombardy, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. The government’s intention at the moment is therefore not to carry out a mass vaccination campaign.
Imvanexthe trade name of the vaccine used in Europe and previously indicated only for “classic” smallpox, was recently authorized by theEma (European Medicines Agency) also for the so-called “monkey” variant (the vaccine is a success: the numbers smile at Biotechs).
The distribution of doses
With the same Circular, the dicastery also gives the go-ahead to smallpox vaccine distribution plan and the allocation of the first doses sent by the EU Commission. After hearing the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces, “it was decided to divide the vaccine doses currently available among the Regions with the highest number of cases reported to date and divided as follows: Lombardy 2,000; Lazio 1,200; Emilia-Romagna 600; Veneto 400 “.
The text also states that “pending the next tranche of donation (currently scheduled for the second half of August), a portion of doses (multiples of 20 up to at 60 doses) “. Finally, a portion of the vaccine will remain stored at the Ministry of Health, for any emergencies.
The categories concerned: for whom the vaccine is recommended
As reported by the Circular of the Ministry of Health, the smallpox vaccination is recommended to the laboratory staff with possible direct and personal exposure gay, transgender, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and which fall into some specific risk categories:
- recent history (last 3 months) with multiple sexual partners;
- participation in group sex events;
- participation in sexual encounters in local / club / cruising / saunas;
- recent sexually transmitted infection (at least one episode in the past year);
- the habit of associating sexual acts with the consumption of chemical drugs (Chemsex).
More generally, the vaccine is indicated in subjects from 18 years of age, at high risk of infection. The vaccine is available in 0.5-milliliter single-dose ampoules. For subjects not previously vaccinated, two doses of 0.5 milliliters are given, after at least four weeks (28 days) one from the other.
