The monkeypox vaccine programme is being rolled out in Manchester, the city's public health leader has confirmed. The news comes as the number of cases of the virus have topped 2,000 across the country.
As of 18 July 2022, the latest figures available, there were 2,137 confirmed cases in the UK, according to the UK Health Security Agency ( UKHSA ) - of these, 2,050 are in England. From May 6 to July 18, the number of laboratory confirmed monkeypox cases stood at 115 in the North West.
Following the figures, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the borough is rolling out the smallpox jab being used to protect against monkeypox. A smallpox vaccine is being offered to close contacts with higher risk exposure on a case by case basis, says the UKHSA.
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"On the horribly described monkeypox, I think we're about over 2,000 cases in the country, the majority in London. I do notice that they've got a vaccination programme in London and all this is about planning and prevention," said Harpurhey Councillor Pat Karney in this week's health scrutiny committee.
"We have started delivering the vaccine programme around monkeypox locally. Small numbers, but we'll have a detailed report for committee," replied David Regan, the Director of Public Health for Manchester.
UKHSA guidance for close contacts of a confirmed monkeypox case has recently been updated. This means close contacts won’t need to isolate at home if they don’t have symptoms.
The change is being implemented after latest data shows 'that a relatively small number of close contacts have gone on to develop monkeypox and a lack of evidence of transmission outside of close intimate or sexual contact, now that more epidemiological information is available', says the UKHSA.
'It means the latest guidance is proportionate to the latest transmission risks identified and is in line with advice from the WHO, other European countries and the CDC', continues the guidance.
Close contacts are divided into categories. Category two is low risk of becoming infected, category three describes a case where someone might be infected.
For category 2 and category 3 close contacts, the UKHSA says: "We now recommend people:
- contact NHS 111 or a sexual health clinic if they develop a fever or any of the other symptoms - such as rashes and blisters
- avoid skin to skin contact with others, such as hugging and kissing
- refrain from sexual or intimate contact
- avoid international travel if possible; travel insurance may also not be valid for people advised not to travel
- let health or dental facility staff know they’re a close contact before attending for health or dental care
For category 3 close contacts:
- we recommend avoiding close contact with children aged under 5 years, pregnant women and those who have an impaired immune system
- if they work with children aged under 5 years, pregnant women or those who have an impaired immune system, UKHSA or their employer might inform them if they need to take time off – this decision will be based on a personalised clinical assessment
Trained health protection teams carry out detailed clinical assessments of each case to inform their recommendations and categorisation. Dr Merav Kliner, Deputy Incident Director at UKHSA, said: "We have now passed over 2,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK, and the outbreak continues to grow.
"Based on the growing evidence of how the monkeypox virus is being passed on in this outbreak, close contacts will no longer have to isolate for 21 days unless they develop symptoms.
"While our advice on isolation is changing, monkeypox is still a serious public health challenge, and we urge contacts to take a break from any activities or events involving skin to skin contact, including sex, hugging and kissing to reduce the risk of the virus being passed on unknowingly. Stay alert to symptoms and call a sexual health clinic if you become unwell.
"Thank you to all contacts who have isolated already in response to this outbreak. We understand that isolation can be difficult but this was a necessary precaution whilst our knowledge of the outbreak was limited."
In response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak, UKHSA has procured more than 100,000 additional doses of the smallpox vaccine enabling more people to be vaccinated to prevent infection and limit transmission of the virus.
The UK previously procured nearly 30,000 doses, enabling the NHS to begin rollout of the vaccine programme to individuals who are most likely to acquire the virus.
While anyone can get monkeypox, the majority of cases in the UK continue to be in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), with the infection being passed on mainly through close contact between people in interconnected sexual networks.
An person's eligibility for vaccination is detailed in the UKHSA vaccination strategy which was endorsed by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The vaccine will be offered to some GBMSM who are more likely to acquire the virus, with eligibility based on a number of factors, similar to the criteria used to assess those eligible for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), even if they are already living with HIV.
The NHS is rolling out the vaccine to those who are more likely to acquire the virus, including healthcare workers in specialist roles and in clinics where exposure to monkeypox is highest. The NHS is contacting GBMSM who are eligible for the vaccine.
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