The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands has received this Thursday the first batch of vaccines against monkeypox that the Ministry of Health has distributed among the autonomous communities, which is made up of 203 doses that will be distributed in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
Specifically, this first batch of vaccines will be distributed at the vaccination points selected for administration on both capital islands, the autonomous department reported in a statement.
"The use of this vaccine in the context of the current monkeypox outbreak may play a role in the prevention or attenuation of the disease as prophylaxis after exposure to contagion in cases of close contacts of diagnosed people who meet the requirements," adds Health.
The monkeypox vaccine is administered subcutaneously and is intended "for the population that is currently receiving PrEP treatment against HIV and for those people defined as close contacts of confirmed cases who meet the criteria according to medical indication", as indicated in the protocol agreed between the Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities.
In addition, people who have recently had monkeypox or those who have been previously vaccinated will not be candidates for the vaccine.
In the case of close contacts, the first dose will be administered within the first four days after close contact with a confirmed case to try to avoid developing the disease.
Vaccination will be carried out by appointment by the Primary Care Management of the health areas to the target population that is undergoing PrEP treatment against HIV or close contacts of confirmed cases that meet the requirements by medical indication.
These people will be summoned from this Thursday to begin inoculation from this Friday in the health centers and planned vaccination points.
Previously, during the past week and while waiting for the arrival of the vaccines, the nurses who will be dedicated to vaccinating the target population have been trained in the technical characteristics and specificities of this serum, while the appointment lists and vaccination points were organized to facilitate the administration of the vaccine.
