No monkeypox vaccines yet in Thuringia
A hospital worker prepares a syringe with monkeypox vaccine.
Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
Erfurt.
More than 3,000 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in Germany since May. But vaccinations are progressing slowly, Thuringia even bringing up the rear.
Thuringia has so far reported seven cases of monkeypox infections at RKI. The urban and rural districts of Jena (3), Erfurt (2) and Weimar and Nordhausen (1 each) are affected. However, of the 140 vaccine doses the state has received from the federal government, not a single one has yet been vaccinated. This is what emerges from the database of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for the monitoring of vaccination.
On request, the Thuringian Ministry of Health confirms the information. Spokesperson Silke Fliess referred to the RKI Standing Vaccination Committee. The recommends vaccinations only for certain risk groups and people who have been in contact with infected people. According to this, men over the age of 18 who have sex with men (MSM) and often change partners as well as people such as medical personnel or laboratory workers who may come into contact with monkeypox should be vaccinated.
Thuringia is currently planning indication vaccinations in the three existing HIV specialist practices in Erfurt, Jena and Weimar. They are listed by the Agethur National Association for Health Promotion. “In addition, the public vaccination recommendation for Thuringia in accordance with the Infection Protection Act is to be expanded. In addition to including the monkeypox vaccination as number 24 of the recommended indications, number 5 of the vaccine recommendation on vaccines will be completed,” the ministry spokeswoman said. To be valid, the amendments would then have to be published in the Official Journal.
The first cases of monkeypox appeared in Germany in May 2022. As of yesterday, Wednesday, 3,350 cases of monkeypox had been reported to the RKI nationwide, with a slight downward trend since the beginning of August. In terms of cases, Germany ranks fourth after the United States, Spain and England. According to current knowledge, close contact is required for transmission of the pathogen, according to the RKI. Criticisms of too late vaccinations are increasing throughout the country. To date, 7236 vaccine doses have been administered, most of them in Berlin (4162) and North Rhine-Westphalia (1798). Both countries have the most infected people.