Closing our eyes and hoping that Monkeypox goes away doesn’t seem to have been a particularly effective strategy.

Several months after community transmission of Monkeypox in non-endemic countries was detected, we’re now officially dealing with a global public health emergency.

So far, the majority of cases are being detected within men who have sex with men. Monkeypox is not a Sexually Transmitted Infection but it is spread by close or intimate contact and sex is a really effective way for Monkeypox to spread. There’s nothing about Monkeypox that limits it to men who have sex with men, it’s just that we’re the demographic that it’s made initial contact with.

London is one of the cities seeing a high number of confirmed cases of Monkeypox, and health experts are calling on the UK government to do more to tackle the outbreak.

In a statement to the media, a spokesperson for the department of health said: “We have procured over 150,000 vaccines, and we’re working with partners – including the NHS and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – to share targeted, non-stigmatising communications with the LGBTQ+ community.”

However, organisations such as the Terrence Higgins Trust are calling for the vaccine roll-out to be accelerated, as well as better coordination, increased vaccine procurement, improved delivery, and a cash injection to sexual health services.

As of 1 August, NHS England has confirmed that more than 14,000 people in the UK had received Imvanex, a vaccine designed to protect against Smallpox but also protects against Monkeypox.

UK officials have said that an additional 100,000 vaccines will arrive into the UK by September, with the aim of delivering the first 20,000 for use by the health service this month. Current guidance is to give most people a single dose – two doses of the vaccine would deliver a higher level of protection.

The monkeypox vaccine rollout is being co-ordinated locally by sexual health clinics across the UK, with each clinic taking an individual approach based on urgency and need.

This means there are different approaches to inviting people to appointments, and differences in who is considered high risk across the country.

Stay in touch with your local sexual health service and get vaccinated when a vaccine is available to you.

What is Monkeypox?

The name “monkeypox” comes from the first documented cases of the illness, in 1958, when two outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research.

But monkeys aren’t major carriers. Instead, the virus is generally spread by squirrels, pouched rats, dormice or another rodent.

How do you catch Monkeypox?

Primarily, from an animal bite, scratch or contact with the animal’s bodily fluid. Then the virus can spread to other people through coughing and sneezing or contact with pus from the lesions.

Symptoms are likely to appear somewhere between 5-21 days after exposure to the virus.

The lesions from monkeypox are similar to those from a smallpox infection.

It’s previously been thought that transmission of Monkeypox between people was a very low risk but this current outbreak appears to be spreading very effectively between people.

Health experts are speculating that the end of vaccination programs against Smallpox has left us vulnerable to a Monkeypox outbreak.

How dangerous is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox can be a nasty illness – it causes fever, body aches, enlarged lymph nodes and, eventually, painful, fluid-filled blisters on the face, hands and feet. One version of monkeypox is quite deadly and kills up to 10% of people infected. The version currently being detected from this cluster is milder. Its fatality rate is less than 1%. A case generally resolves in two to four weeks.

If you have it, you’ll probably need to isolate at home until you’ve recovered.

What should I do if I think I might have been exposed to Monkeypox?

If you notice any unusual rashes or lesions, and you think you might have been exposed to the virus through sexual contact, then contact your local sexual health service for advice.

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