Monkeypox: Can science make a vaccine ASAP against COVID?

Since the reported cases of pneumonia of unknown origin, which later became an epidemic under the name COVID-19, until the adoption of World Health Organization (WHO) Almost a year has passed for its application. right Now, With the recent outbreak of monkeypox in countries where the disease is not endemic, the question arises of the need for a vaccine against this disease.. Can a monkeypox vaccine be made as quickly as a coronavirus vaccine?

According to the latest data reported by countries to the World Health Organization, From May 7 to 22, there were more than 250 cases in 16 countries and regions, of which 131 were confirmed and 106 were under investigation.. “From what we know about the virus and its ways of transmission, this outbreak can still be contained; the goal (…) is to contain and stop it,” said Dr. Rosamund Lewis, an expert on smallpox and a member of the emergency program at the United Nations health agency. Emphasizing that “risks to the general public appear low”.

However, despite the expert’s statements, the Modern American Pharmaceutical Company reported that It is working to start laboratory studies of a vaccine against this disease. “We are investigating possible vaccines at the preclinical level monkey pox‘, they indicated in a message broadcast on Twitter.

“Emphasizing this commitment, given that monkey pox Of global importance to public health, as defined by World Health Organization (WHO)And We are looking at potential vaccines at the preclinical levelThe fact is that after the declaration of the eradication of smallpox in 1980, the application of smallpox stopped. A decision made in Argentina in 1978.

According to experts, The “human” smallpox vaccine has an ability of close to 85% to reduce the serious symptoms of the monkey version. However, people over the age of 45 are protected from this condition that has affected people in the Americas and Europe. He was also able to figure it out Infobae According to Argentine health sources, despite the fact that there is a decrease in the rate of vaccinations that correspond to the national calendar due to the epidemic, there will be coverage against monkeypox.

“There is already a vaccine approved by many countries to prevent and treat monkeypox. It’s called JYNNEOSTM, also known as Imvamune or Imvanex, which is produced by the Danish Bavarian Nordic pharmaceutical company,” he explained to Infobae Daniela HozborVaccine specialist. He also stated that “Previous data from its use in Africa indicates that it is at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox“.

Meanwhile, according to a biochemist and researcher at Conicet at the Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology in La Plata, “There is a second smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000, made by Emergent Product Development. According to health authorities, it offers some protection against monkeypox. In fact, this vaccine was just that It was used in the outbreak that was reported in 2003 in the USA.“

“The smallpox vaccine was manufactured and used until it was eradicated in 1980. That is, it was applied until the disease disappeared from the face of the earth, because smallpox was a very devastating disease,” Hozbor said. In the words of the expert, this immunization according to the World Health Organization, A ‘cross-reaction to protect against monkeypox’ is shown.

He added: “The World Health Organization has indicated that some people who received smallpox vaccinations may also have certain levels of immunity, although this vaccination was suspended in many countries nearly 40 years ago, when the disease was considered eradicated. I mean, It’s a smallpox vaccine, but they have an extension to cover monkeypox, according to disclosures‘So warn that’These two vaccines can be used against smallpox.”. In short, there would be no need to generate a new, specific immunization.

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