Gov’t urged to secure sufficient monkeypox vaccines amid global outbreak

AMMAN — Experts are urging the government to secure sufficient supplies of monkeypox vaccines in the event of an outbreak. 

Munir Ghazi, a dermatologist, told The Jordan Times that monkeypox vaccines have to be ready in the case of an outbreak.

Ghazi said that monkeypox is caused by a virus similar to smallpox. Vaccines against smallpox are expected to prevent or reduce the severity of monkeypox infection, he added.

Hussam Abu Farsakh, a diagnostic specialist, agrees that the country needs a sufficient stock of vaccines, but “there’s no need to stockpile jabs”.

He highlighted that monkeypox is not easily transmitted from one patient to another, unlike COVID-19. “It's not a highly contagious disease,” said Abu Farsakh. 

The probability of catching monkeypox virus from a surface of even a sneeze is “close to zero”, he added. 

“Individuals vaccinated against smallpox are 85 per cent immune to monkeypox,” Abu Farsakh noted. 

The chickenpox vaccine is mandatory in Jordan. However, “it offers no protection from monkeypox”, Abu Farsakh added. 

He said that globally, smallpox vaccines are being offered to people who are most at risk of contracting monkeypox.

Despite multiple attempts by The Jordan Times, the Directorate of Communicable Diseases was not available for comment.