More vacationers asking for mpox vaccines, only limited supply of vaccine doses

Regional health authorities have received an increasing number of questions about mpox, also known as monkeypox virus, in recent days. These questions mainly come from people who are about to travel to Africa and are wondering whether they can be vaccinated before they leave. However, the umbrella organization GGD GHOR Nederland has stated this is not possible.

According to the GGD, the Netherlands has a limited supply of vaccine doses. These are intended for people from risk groups, who have previously been determined to be eligible for vaccination. These include sex workers and men who have sex with men. People who have had close contact with an infected person, and therefore think that they may have contracted mpox themselves , are also eligible for vaccination. According to the GGD, the vaccines are not intended as preparation for a holiday.

Furthermore, the Netherlands is not yet donating mpox vaccines to African countries that need them. Minister of Health Fleur Agema is waiting to see how the situation develops, she wrote in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of parliament. "I think it is important that there are sufficient vaccines in the Netherlands to combat a possible outbreak."

The European Commission and the US have pledged vaccine donations. Donations can help stop an international outbreak, Agema wrote, but she first wants to ensure the Netherlands has enough in stock.

"The Netherlands is preparing for diagnosis and treatment and taking measures to prevent the spread of an imported case," Agema said. In the event of an outbreak, there are enough vaccines in stock for a "limited vaccination campaign among risk groups."

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of mpox, also known as monkeypox, an international emergency on Wednesday. Cases of the new virus variant have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries in particular. That form of the virus has also surfaced in Sweden.

The new variant appears more contagious than previous variants, and patients appear to become sicker from it, writes the RIVM. The variant is "mainly transmitted through (hetero)sexual contact."