Monkeypox vaccines available for high-risk British Columbians

Vaccines to protect people from monkeypox are available for British Columbians to access.

As of July 27, there have been 61 confirmed cases of monkeypox in B.C., though none of the cases was located in the Interior. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) said there were three cases confirmed in Fraser Health, 54 in Vancouver Coastal Health and four in Island Health.

The centre also stated that some community transmission has been identified.

Monkeypox does not spread easily from person to person as the virus generally requires prolonged skin-on-skin contact to spread, though it can spread through sharing items like bedding and towels.

First-stage symptoms include fever, chills intense headache, swollen lymph nodes, back and muscle pain, and fatigue or exhaustion.

Second-stage symptoms, which usually start one to five days after the first stage, include rashes, sores and blisters, most commonly seen on the hands, feet, arms, legs mouth and/or genitals. Monkeypox blisters typically last between two and three weeks.

Health Canada is providing the BCCDC with a stockpile of smallpox vaccine, which is also effective against monkeypox.

Approximately 14,480 doses have been provided to the agency for outbreak control. As of July 25, 7,200 doses had been administered to high-risk people.

The province is asking people who are at high risk to take action to protect themselves.

The province’s vaccination campaign is mainly focused on the Lower Mainland where a majority of cases have been identified, but Interior Health is offering vaccination appointments to those most at risk in the region.

Anyone who does become ill with monkeypox is advised to call a healthcare provider and get tested as soon as possible. While waiting for test results, avoid close intimate contact and sex with others; avoid people most at risk of severe illnesses; do not share towels, clothing or sheets; wear a mask when in close contact with others; cover any blisters and sores, and have someone else look after pets so the virus does not spread to them.

If a case of monkeypox is confirmed, the healthcare provider will contact the infected individual and provide them with more instructions.

The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency over the spread of monkeypox.

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