DOH eyes mpox protection through smallpox vaccines

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday said that it already signified intent from the World Health Organization (WHO) to get access to smallpox vaccines to help protect against the mpox (formerly monkeypox) virus. 

DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said that based on scientific findings, smallpox vaccines can provide cross-protection against mpox.

However, there is no supply of this vaccine yet in the Philippines, as the bulk of it is currently being given to African countries where there is an upsurge of mpox cases. 

“Right now, ginagamit sa ibang bansa ang smallpox vaccine to respond. Pero dahil ang krisis ay nasa Africa, I think thousands of cases na ang nandoon, doon nila inuuna ang buhos ng mga bakuna,” Domingo said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(Right now, the smallpox vaccine is being used in other countries to respond to mpox. But since the crisis is in Africa, I think there are thousands of cases there, that's where they prioritize the distribution of the vaccines.) 

“Pero we are very much interested at nag-signify na rin tayo ng intent sa WHO na ‘pag nag-shift na ang global strategy at nag-start nang mag-distribute ng bakuna, nakataas na ang kamay ng Pilipinas,” he added. 

(But we are very interested, and we have already indicated to the WHO that once the global strategy shifts and the distribution of the vaccines starts, the Philippines is ready to accept them.) 

Domingo said that the Philippines has cold chain and supply chain facilities used during the COVID-19 pandemic that can house the smallpox vaccines. 

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Monday that only symptoms of mpox are getting treatment so far through supportive care. 

Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks. The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. 

Anyone can get mpox, and the virus can be transmitted to humans through close and intimate contact with someone who is infectious, through contaminated materials like used clothes or utensils, or through infected animals. 

The DOH has advised to use soap and water to kill the virus, and to use gloves when washing contaminated materials. 

So far, there are ten confirmed mpox cases in the Philippines, with the recent one detected in a 33-year-old male Filipino national with no travel history outside the country “but with close, intimate contact three weeks before symptom onset.”

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has also tasked concerned agencies to continue monitoring the areas and individuals who are considered to be mostly vulnerable to mpox. —VAL, GMA Integrated News