Smallpox vaccine to be offered to gay, bisexual men and MSM at risk of Monkeypox in Ireland
On Wednesday, July 26, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced plans to extend the use of the smallpox vaccine to people at high risk of contracting monkeypox in Ireland.
The move follows the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommending to the Interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO) that two doses of the jab should be administered 28 days apart to eligible parties, including gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM).Speaking on the news, Minister Donnelly said: “I welcome these recommendations which represent an important step in our ongoing response to the monkeypox outbreak and help protect those at high risk of exposure to monkeypox.“Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting illness, and most people recover within a few weeks, however the rapid spread of infection necessitates further measures beyond those currently in place.
