The first batch of monkeypox vaccines should arrive in Brazil later this month. This was stated by Minister of Health Marcelo Queiroga in an interview with the Brasil Em Pauta program on the Brasil TV channel.

A child with varicella-zoster virus has measles, chickenpox, rubella all over his body. Viral diseases — Photo: iStock/roman023/ND

Negotiations are underway with the Danish laboratory Bavarian Nordic through the mediation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

50,000 immunizers should be available in this first wave, Keyroga said. These will be the same drugs used to fight smallpox.

Also, according to the minister, vaccines are not intended for the entire population, but for specific groups. “At the moment, there are no recommendations for mass vaccination,” Keyroga explained.

Specific groups include healthcare workers who deal directly with samples from infected people and people who have had contact with carriers of the virus. “Studies already show that such a dose can be divided into five doses. In this way, we can benefit more people. Firstly, these are those who have been in contact with the contaminated material,” Keyroga said.

The Minister of Health also highlighted the differences between monkeypox and Covid-19. In addition to being lethal, the Covid-19 virus showed numerous mutations during the pandemic, which is not seen in monkeypox, which was first identified in Africa in 1976, Keyrogy said.

Queiroga also stressed that monkeypox infection rates are declining globally and remain stable in Brazil. “Globally, the outbreak has subsided, the rate of progression of cases is lower, and we are in a plateau phase with a decline. So we hope this outbreak is under control,” Queiroga said.

Queiroga also stressed that monkeypox infection rates are declining globally and remain stable in Brazil. Photo: Marcello Casal Jr/Agência Brasil/ND

In addition to the emergency importation of doses of monkeypox vaccine, the Ministry of Health has also received emergency authorization from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) for the importation of the antiviral drug Tecovirimat, which must be used in serious and special situations. “Use in situations where we no longer have an alternative for these patients,” the Minister of Health emphasized.

national vaccine

The Ministry of Health is also working on the creation of a national immunizer to fight the disease. The vaccine is expected to become effective in the second half of next year. But for this, according to Minister Keirogi, the epidemiological scenario should indicate the need to expand the target audience of vaccination.

“That’s what they’re working on in research. We have already received the Federal University of Minas Gerais, which we call seed, which then generates IFA products, and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, through Biomanguinhos, has the ability to scale. But this is only if there are indications for vaccination of a larger group of people.”

Monkeypox has signs and symptoms that are characterized by skin lesions and rashes, fever, body aches, headache, chills, and weakness.

*Brazil News Agency