A protocol for the application of the monkeypox vaccine was approved by the Ministry of Health, which stressed that the inoculation will not be massive, but for specific groups and the most exposed population.
The Minsa highlighted that the application of this vaccine will be prioritized for the contacts of the cases within four days of the first exposure (and up to 14 days in the absence of symptoms) to prevent the appearance of the disease.
Also, that it will be prioritized in domestic, sexual and other contacts and in health workers where there is non-compliance or inadequate use of personal protective equipment.
Similarly, the decision of who to vaccinate will be made by the epidemiology team that performs the traceability and epidemiological investigation. All decisions about immunization with monkeypox vaccines will be made by decision-making, based on a joint benefit-risk assessment, on a case-by-case basis.
A contact is defined as a person who, in the period beginning with the appearance of the first symptoms of the source case and ending when all the scabs have fallen off, has had one or more of
the following exposures with a probable or confirmed case of monkeypox:
• Direct physical skin-to-skin contact (such as touching, hugging, kissing, intimate or sexual contact)
• contact with contaminated materials, such as clothing or bedding,
• prolonged face-to-face respiratory exposure in close proximity
• respiratory exposure (ie, possible inhalation) or ocular mucosal exposure to lesion material (eg, crusts/scabs) from an infected person
• The above also applies to healthcare workers potentially exposed in the absence of proper use of PPE.
