Philippines working to get smallpox jabs for monkeypox vaccination

A healthcare worker prepares to administer a vaccine to a person for the prevention of monkeypox the Pride Center on July 12, 2022 in Wilton Manors, Florida.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health said Monday it is coordinating with the World Health Organization and other development organizations in securing supplies of smallpox vaccine that can protect people from getting monkeypox.

Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, officer-in-charge of the DOH, said the US Food and Drug Administration authorized a smallpox vaccine for use against monkeypox. According to the WHO, vaccination against smallpox was demonstrated to be about 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.

“Ang ating issue ngayon or challenge ay kakaunti po, limitado ang supplies ng monkeypox vaccine na ito kaya po tayo’y nakikipag-usap ngayon sa mga development partners natin tulad ng WHO at iba pa para kung saka-sakaling matulungan nila tayo to access or kaya madonate-an tayo,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN TeleRadyo.

(Our current issue or challenge is few, the supplies of monkeypox vaccine are limited. That’s why we are talking to our development partners such as the WHO and others to access there or donate vaccines to us.)

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/07/25/2197867/philippines-working-get-smallpox-jabs-monkeypox-vaccination