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Policy
The expansion of MPOX vaccination
by Lee, Jeong-Hwan May 03, 2023 05:38am
17 million adult males aged 20 to 64, 170,000, about 1%, the high-risk group estimated As the number of MPOX cumulative confirmed cases in Korea increased to 49, concerns about community infection grew, and domestic quarantine authorities decided to expand the target of third-generation MPOX vaccine to 'high-risk subjects of infection', drawing attention. Currently, the quarantine authorities are implementing the MPOX 3rd generation vaccine by dividing it into 'pre-exposure vaccination' for medical staff and 'post-exposure vaccination' for contacts. The plan is to add people at high risk of infection among the general public. The high-risk target for infection is estimated to be 17 million adult male sexual minorities between the ages of 20 and 64, and the quarantine authorities plan to more actively recommend and publicize the third-generation vaccine for them. On the 2nd, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) responded to a written inquiry related to the MPOX epidemic in the community by In-soon Nam, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Rep. Nam In-soon closely inquired about the possibility of an outbreak in the MPOX community, the vaccination of medical staff, the current status of high-risk groups, and plans for siege vaccination. According to the Agency for Disease Control and Prevention, as of the 27th of last month, 109 people have been vaccinated, including medical staff in treatment beds to treat MPOX patients, and 165 people have received the first vaccination. The second dose of Jynneos, a third-generation MPOX vaccine, should be administered 28 days after the first dose. The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention announced through an official document the implementation of vaccination for those who wish to be pre-vaccinated with the Mpox 3rd generation vaccine in 17 cities and provinces to improve vaccination, such as treatment bed medical staff, diagnostic test laboratory personnel, and epidemiological investigators. The hospital for the confirmed patient was informed by phone to the hospital and actively encouraged vaccination in advance. Going further here, the Agency for Disease Control and Prevention plans to implement the 3rd generation vaccination administration. This is to prevent infection in the MPOX community in advance. Specifically, the target of third-generation vaccination before MPOX exposure is not limited to medical staff, but is expanded to 'high-risk subjects of infection'. The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that about 170,000 LGBT people are the high-risk group, based on UNAIDS, an AIDS task force under the United Nations, at about 1% of the 17 million adult male population aged 20 to 64 in Korea. MPOX 3rd generation vaccine The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention said, “We are currently conducting pre-exposure vaccination for medical staff and post-exposure vaccination for contacts.” We will expand it to those at high risk of infection.” The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that sporadic MPOX infections would continue for the time being, but diagnosed that it was not at a level to worry about a pandemic at the level of Corona-19. Unlike respiratory infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and MERS, where droplets are the main route of infection, MPOX is mainly spread through the skin and sexual contact with symptomatic infected people, and it was presented on the basis that the risk of transmission is low on the general population other than the high-risk group. The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention said, "Recently, MPOX patients have been steadily occurring in the region, and are not limited to a specific region and are distributed across the country, so sporadic cases in the community will continue." The prevailing opinion is that it is not at the level of concern about the same pandemic.” The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention added, “MPOX, which is transmitted through skin and sexual contact, has a relatively low risk of transmission in the general population of Korea, not in the high-risk group.” Meanwhile, on August 11 last year, the Korean government introduced 10,000 doses for 5,000 Jynneos, the third-generation Mpox vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic A/S, a foreign pharmaceutical company. The third-generation smallpox vaccine, Jynneos, has been approved by the FDA and EMA for being effective against both human and monkeypox.