DOH warns vs. imported mpox vaccines

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday warned against “imported” monkeypox or mpox vaccines allegedly being sold in the country.

“It has come to the attention of the DOH that there may be organizations or individuals offering supposed Mpox vaccines ‘imported’ from abroad. The public is cautioned against availing such vaccines,” the DOH said in an advisory. 

“They have been brought into the country without the careful attention of regulatory agencies like the DOH and its Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” it added. 

The DOH said mpox vaccine shots required storage and handling conditions.

Without the proper safeguards, there was no way to assure safety and efficacy. 

“It is better to get mpox vaccine doses in the Philippines once they are legally available, to ensure that you are getting real, safe, and effective vaccines - and not just a false sense of security,” the DOH said.

Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last two to four weeks.

The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

On Wednesday, the DOH reported active mpox cases increased to 15 after one more individual tested positive for the virus. 

All the confirmed mpox cases in the Philippines tested for Clade II, a milder virus. Clade Ib, on the other hand, is a newer strain of the mpox virus that is circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries. 

The mpox virus can be transmitted through intimate, skin-to-skin contact. One can also be infected through contact with contaminated objects.

Meanwhile, health experts advised the public to observe the following guidelines:

Avoid close and intimate, skin-to-skin contact such as sexual contact, kissing, hugging, and cuddling with individuals who are suspect, probable, or confirmed cases of mpox.

If contact is unavoidable due to the need for care, caregivers must adhere to proper prevention and control measures, including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE);

Observe frequent and proper hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub or hand-washing whenever hands are soiled or contaminated;

Ensure the objects and surfaces suspected of being contaminated with the virus, or handled by and infectious person, are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected;

Avoid contact with animals, particularly mammals, that may carry the virus, including sick or deceased animals found in areas where mpox is present. —NB, GMA Integrated News