How to get a monkeypox vaccine as UK cases rise

NHS has announced an accelerated rollout of the vaccine in London

The NHS has announced an accelerated monkeypox vaccination rollout in London as cases of the infection pass 2,000.

On Tuesday (19 July) it was announced that 100,000 more doses of the vaccine have been ordered to help curb the spread of the disease.

The NHS said on Friday (22 July) that it would be accelerating the rollout in the capital by prioritising individuals most likely to get it.

Figures released by the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Tuesday found that cases have risen to 2,137 in the UK, with 2,050 recorded in England.

The majority of the cases are in London and among men who have sex with men. Sexually active gay men are among those being prioritised for the vaccine rollout, but how do you get a vaccine for monkeypox?

What is monkeypox and how do you get it?

According to the NHS, the monkeypox infection is commonly found in west or central Africa and while there has recently been a rise of cases in the UK, the risk of catching it is low.

The most common way that people can get monkeypox is through close physical contact with monkeypox blisters or scabs. This can be through sexual contact, kissing, cuddling and holding hands.

Other ways to get the infection is through touching clothing, bedding, or towels used by someone with monkeypox, and if a person with monkeypox coughs or sneezes when they are close to you.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Symptoms of monkeypox can take between five to 21 days to materialise after first being infected with it. The most common symptoms include:

• A headache
• Backache
• Muscle aches
• A high temperatures
• Exhaustion
• Swollen glands
• The chills

The NHS says that a rash will appear for most who are infected between one and five days after the initial symptoms appear.

The rash, which generally starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, starts as raised spots and turns into small blisters filled with fluid.

The health service says that these symptoms usually clear up within a few weeks and the blisters turn into scabs which fall off.

However, people will remain contagious as long as they have symptoms.

How do you treat monkeypox?

The NHS notes that, for most people who contract monkeypox, their case should be mild and they would be expected to recover within a few weeks without treatment.

However, need for treatment is higher among older people, young children, and people with a weakened immune system.

Those who suspect they have monkeypox should self-isolate until symptoms clear.

Who can get a vaccine for monkeypox and how can you get it?

The smallpox vaccine has been rolled out to protect against monkeypox as monkeypox is caused by a similar virus.

Those most likely to be exposed to monkeypox are being offered the vaccine. This includes:

• Healthcare workers
• Men who are gay, bisexual, or have sex with other men
• People who have been in close contact with someone who is infected with monkeypox

People in these groups will be offered one dose of the vaccine to prevent symptoms and may be offered a second dose.

Those at risk of exposure will be contacted by their local NHS service to arrange a vaccination.