MONKEYPOX VACCINES NOW AVAILABLE

posted by: Jonathan Shaw

Updates on access to monkeypox vaccination at our services will be posted here and on our social media profiles.

23.11.22 – UPDATE

We are now offering monkeypox vaccinations for Devon residents at the Greendale site, near Exeter, and at Devon Sexual Health Clinics.

If you self-identify as gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise having sex with men (GBMSM) and are interested in receiving a vaccination please ring on 0300 303 3989 or email us with your name, date of birth and a contact phone number to: rduh.exetermonkeypoxvaccine@nhs.net

31.10.22 – UPDATE:

NHS launches online site finder for monkeypox vaccines. There are already almost 100 sites on the monkeypox vaccine site finder across England and those eligible can find their nearest one at: www.nhs.uk/find-a-monkeypox-vaccination

18.10.22 – UPDATE:

We can now confirm a working collaboration with the Greendale Vaccination team in Exeter to provide monkeypox vaccination for Devon residents at the Greendale site. The team there are running weekly clinics to deliver vaccination to eligible people. More information about eligibility and access is included below. News regarding monkeypox vaccination in Torbay and Barnstaple will follow soon.

The Devon Sexual Health Exeter team are coordinating access to these vaccination appointments. If you are interested in receiving a vaccination, can travel to the Greendale site, and meet the eligiblity criteria outlined below, please email us with your name, date of birth and a contact phone number to: rduh.exetermonkeypoxvaccine@nhs.net . One of our team will get back to you within 3-5 working days.

Individuals are eligible for pre-exposure prophylaxis against monkeypox if they:

1. Self-identify as gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise having sex with men (GBMSM)

AND

2. Report one or more of the following:
a. Bacterial STI or primary genital herpes within the past 12 months
b. Sex in a sex-on-premises venue (sauna, dark room, sex club, etc) within the past 12 months, or anticipate such activity in the next 12 months
c. Group sex within the past 12 months, or anticipate such activity in the next 12 months
d. Ten or more sexual partners in the past year, or 3 or more sexual partners in the past 3 months
e. Eligibility for PrEP for HIV infection in the past year
f. Being a person living with HIV *
g. Any other factor which, in the view of a sexual health clinician, implies a similar risk of STIs to any of the above

*Not all GBMSM with HIV will be at risk of contracting monkeypox. However, where there is a low CD4, vaccination should be offered in accordance with BHIVA monkeypox vaccination guidance.

Information on the vaccination and the new intradermal route of administration is available here

Helpful information for those concerned about monkeypox but not yet included in these eligibility criteria is available here.

Public transport is available to Greendale from Exeter – more information.

06.10.22 – UPDATE:

We are expecting to receive an initial supply of monkeypox vaccine for Devon-based services imminently. Devon Sexual Health services are working in collaboration with UKHSA and the Greendale Vaccination team to offer vaccination to those at highest risk of monkeypox infection as soon as possible. Our services will be contacting those at highest risk soon and will explain how the vaccination will be offered and delivered. At this time we are not offering opportunistic vaccination in clinics – please do not contact the service requesting vaccination. If you are within an eligible group our service will contact you within the next few weeks to offer you the vaccine when it is available.

12.08.22 – UPDATE:

Today we have received an update from UKHSA about the vaccination programme. Key paragraphs are posted below. As we currently have no available vaccine stock in our service we expect we will not receive further vaccination supplies now until late September 2022. We will update further once more is known:

The UKHSA launched its vaccine strategy in June 2022, which aims to contain the current outbreak by offering protection to those who are at higher risk of getting monkeypox. This includes some Gay and Bisexual and other Men who have sex with Men (GBMSM) as well as healthcare workers in specific settings such as HCID centres and sexual health services. The first dose of vaccine is being prioritised to maximise the public health benefit from available supplies. Post exposure vaccination with a single dose of the MVA-BN smallpox vaccine is also recommended for close contacts.

UKHSA has secured one of the highest number of doses in the world, procuring 150,000 doses for the UK from the global manufacturer of smallpox vaccines. The initial delivery of around 50,000 doses – the maximum amount immediately available – has been rolled out at pace to provide as much protection to as many eligible people as possible. Due to vaccine availability and the necessary time to produce more vaccines, the further batch of 100,000 doses, which are being made to order, will be received later in September. UKHSA is working with the manufacturer to expedite delivery as soon as possible.

A systematic process was undertaken by UKHSA to support the initial vaccine deployment at each sexual health clinic in England. Initial pump-prime supply volumes to each vaccine site were based on a proportion of the total number of GBMSM meeting proxy measures of behavioural risk of STIs and HIV, who attended that clinic in 2021.

Given that transmission has been predominantly in London and that approximately 60% of eligible individuals reside in London, supplies were front loaded to London with clinics allowed to order additional stock at a higher rate.

Given the current usage, it is anticipated that all central supplies will have been distributed to service providers by the middle of August, with the NHS expecting that all available vaccine will be given to individuals at higher risk by the end of August. Additional stock of 100,000 doses is expected to arrive in late September and UKHSA is working with the manufacturer to expedite delivery.

Until the delivery of further doses in September, there will be no new supply to the NHS.