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Vaccination against monkeypox has been available in the EU and the USA since the summer, but it is still not possible in Switzerland. Where is the problem?
The current monkeypox outbreak continues to be classified as a global public health emergency, the WHO announced on Tuesday. This is the highest alert level for governments to act.
An emergency is currently also due to the corona pandemic and the polio virus, which can lead to polio. But while vaccines have been available for a long time, the one against monkeypox in Switzerland is a long time coming. Vaccination against the monkeypox virus has been available in the EU and the US for months.
In Zurich, the infrastructure has actually been available since September – but the doctors are put off from week to week. The fact that there is still no vaccine means a lot of work, emphasizes Benjamin Hampel, infectiologist at the Checkpoint health center. You have to answer questions from people who want to be vaccinated every week. “There was a lot of misunderstanding, sometimes anger. There is now a certain frustration and many have had themselves vaccinated abroad. »
The federal government has signed a contract with the German-Danish manufacturer Bavarian Nordic for the delivery of 40,000 vaccine doses. The Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) announced in mid-October that the first doses would be delivered by the beginning of November and the remaining doses by the end of the year. Little happened until November 4th.
Legend:
In Germany it has been possible to be vaccinated against the monkeypox virus since the summer of 2022. Not in Switzerland at the moment.
KEYSTONE/DPA/Paul Prongs
How could Switzerland fall so far behind on the monkeypox vaccine? The BAG is reticent. “Immediately from the beginning of the monkeypox epidemic in May, efforts were made to obtain a vaccine against the infectious disease as quickly as possible”. Yes, the BAG continues: «The manufacturing company Bavarian Nordic only delivers to states. Since the vaccine is not approved in Switzerland, it cannot be obtained in the usual way.”
In concrete terms, this means that while the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the vaccine in July, approval is still missing in Switzerland because no application from the manufacturer has apparently been received so far. The Swiss approval regulations also delay the process.
It is a scandal that the vaccination was not made available more quickly.
At Pink Cross, the umbrella organization for gay and bisexual men, people are sobered. Switzerland’s manager Roman Heggli emphasized that it was far too late to take care of the procurement of vaccines. “It’s a scandal that the vaccine wasn’t made available more quickly. People are frustrated and feel left alone by the federal government.”
By the end of October, 546 cases of monkeypox had been registered in Switzerland. Most sufferers are men who have sex with men. Vaud, Geneva and Zurich are most affected.
However, according to the WHO, there are indications that monkeypox infections are declining worldwide. This is also being observed in Switzerland, writes the BAG. The demand for vaccination is likely to decrease due to the falling number of cases.
Heggli fears the same thing. “In August, the willingness to vaccinate would have been significantly higher. In addition, over time, people will adhere less strictly to behavioral recommendations such as limiting sexual contacts, which means that the number of cases could rise again quickly.”
Vaccination against monkeypox could prevent this. According to the BAG, the vaccine should arrive at the beginning of November, and information about how to proceed will be provided in the next few days.