Philippines: Health authority says no authorized vaccine for monkeypox

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PHOTO BY ARCHIVE

Philippines: Health authority says no authorized vaccine for monkeypox

The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Thursday (May 26) that although there is no FDA-approved vaccination against monkeypox, research has shown that smallpox vaccines function through “cross-protection.”

Dr. Edsel Salvaa, a member of the DOH Technical Advisory Group, previously stated that the country does not possess a stockpile of monkeypox vaccines, but that the government is in contact with the Centers for Disease Control and other organizations in case procurement is required.

The Department of Health confirmed in a Viber message to the reporters that the monkeypox case is not contagious during the incubation period of five to 21 days.

“The case may start to become infectious during the prodromal stage wherein the case develops the first symptoms including fever, malaise, headache, sometimes sore throat and cough, and lymphadenopathy or swollen lymph nodes,” DOH said.

DOH also emphasized that “a person is considered contagious from the onset of the enanthem (rash) through the scab stage. Once all scabs have fallen off a person is no longer contagious.”

The Department of Health is now amplifying border screening and ensuring that surveillance systems are actively monitoring the situation. BKM/ Expat Media

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