Health secretary shelves plans to buy extra monkeypox vaccines
The new health secretary has reportedly shelved plans to buy additional doses of the monkeypox vaccine, as cases of the infection decline in the UK.
Health minister Thérèse Coffey rejected advice from officials of the UK Health Security Agency, who recommended that extra vaccines be procured to ensure the country is protected against the infection in the long term, the Financial Times reported.
Officials were reportedly “in shock” over the decision, the reported added, citing people familiar with the matter. It is thought Coffey did not believe the deal for 70,000 more doses were value for money.
Two months ago, the World Health Organisation declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency, as the world continues to reel from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The UK appears to be in a “very positive” position, according to one of the country’s top infectious disease modellers Professor Neil Ferguson.
Ferguson said that the vaccination roll out “probably had some effect” but that behaviour changes within the gay community, which it has disproportionally impacted, is the most likely to have tipped the downward spiral in cases.
The UK has recorded more than 3,500 cases, but there have been fewer than 100 new infections in recent weeks.
A government spokesperson said: “The UK has enough doses of the monkeypox vaccine to offer everybody eligible two doses.
“We acted immediately to tackle the spread of Monkeypox, moving early to secure 150,000 vaccines amid global shortages and rapidly deploying jabs to those most at risk.
“While cases are falling in the UK, we are not complacent and we continue to encourage people to remain vigilant and take up the offer of a vaccine if eligible. We continue to monitor the situation and decisions about future supply will be made and communicated in the usual way.”