Monkeypox

[Pea-n-Me]

Another virus coming down the pike.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/18/health/massachusetts-monkeypox.html

 

[slo]

Yep…..Can I just be in a bubble for the rest of my life? LOL!

 

[anniemae]

I thought this virus was kind of rare and not a real threat to the general public. Off to read the article.........

 

[FreeTime]

Pretty sure we see a few cases of this a year in the US.

 

[ronandannette]

Another virus coming down the pike.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/18/health/massachusetts-monkeypox.html

I don't want to create an account with the paper to read it - Cliff's Notes version please?

 

[lynxstch]

Have never heard of it, until Mr L mentioned it was in MA the other day. I don't even want to read the article..stay safe!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I read up on it. Right now I'm not too worried. If we need shots, the smallpox vaccine is 85% effective against it. I was vaccinated against smallpox when I was a kid (and I have the scar to prove it), but I guess I'd need a booster. It's pretty rare and there are cases every year. If it reaches pandemic stage I'll be surprised.

 

[ronandannette]

I read up on it. Right now I'm not too worried. If we need shots, the smallpox vaccine is 85% effective against it. I was vaccinated against smallpox when I was a kid (and I have the scar to prove it), but I guess I'd need a booster. It's pretty rare and there are cases every year. If it reaches pandemic stage I'll be surprised.

Does it kill people? Is there a treatment protocol? Is there one for smallpox or has it been completely eradicated? Not sure if you know, but I'm interested.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Does it kill people? Is there a treatment protocol? Is there one for smallpox or has it been completely eradicated? Not sure if you know, but I'm interested.

It kills lots of people in Africa. I would direct you to the CDC website (don't know how much you trust the CDC) first:

https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/monkeypox

Smallpox was eradicated, I believe I read in the WHO link, which I've put above.

 

[RamblingMad]

But it doesn't spread fast.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yeah, this one isn't at all new; it's just popping up where it isn't normally seen.

Most western nations don't bother with widespread smallpox vaccination anymore, because it has essentially been eradicated in the developed world. The vaccine exists, though, and it can be used when needed. (Of course, it would require ramping up production, never easy.) It appears that the current monkeypox cases are likely to have been sexually transmitted, so as long as people are now aware of that and careful, it shouldn't spread too widely.

 

[mom2rtk]

This isn't even remotely similar to Covid. It requires close contact and doesn't spread when asymptomatic.

 

[JLTraveling]

Yeah, this one isn't at all new; it's just popping up where it isn't normally seen.

Most western nations don't bother with widespread smallpox vaccination anymore, because it has essentially been eradicated in the developed world. The vaccine exists, though, and it can be used when needed. (Of course, it would require ramping up production, never easy.) It appears that the current monkeypox cases are likely to have been sexually transmitted, so as long as people are now aware of that and careful, it shouldn't spread too widely.

The big issue is that it's a live vaccine, which carries more risks than most of our vaccines. So they need to carefully monitor who gets it and how they react, which I imagine would preclude massive vax sites like we have/had for Covid vaccines.

 

[NotUrsula]

News update: the WHO is now arranging to ramp up production of the smallpox vaccine to address the spread. The main outbreak has been traced directly to 2 large "rave" type events in Europe; one in Spain, and one in Belgium.

The Bavarian Nordic vaccine, which is used in Europe, does not use live virus.
https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufa...inks-vaccine-order-monkeypox-cases-crop-us-eu

 

[kanerf]

People that were teenagers in the 60s and before will have had their Smallpox vaccinations and are at little risk. They stopped doing vaccinations in the early 70s, so folks born after that are more at risk.

 

[TinkB278]

Doesn’t sound like this will end up posing a risk to most people.

 

[Wendy31]

As someone w/ anxiety & who worries a lot, for the past 2 years, I’ve had a constant thrum of anxiety just running under the surface related to the pandemic… sometimes, it ramps up, &, other times, it’s really low & almost non-existent, but still there.

But my brain only has capacity for so much, so I refuse to worry about monkeypox.

 

[HerRoyalHighness]

 

[Dan Murphy]

******

Please, not his guy.

 

[Buzz Rules]

ABC news was saying it is seems to be affecting the LGBTQ community the most at the moment.