In August this year, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) announced the outbreak of the Mpox virus in the country and urged the public to take preventive measures, including regular hand-washing, avoiding sexual contact with persons suspected of having Mpox symptoms, avoiding close contact with persons suspected of Mpox, avoiding contact with animals, and promptly reporting to the nearest medical facility if any Mpox symptoms are experienced or observed.
By mid-November, NPHIL announced during a press conference that there had been a cumulative total of 41 Mpox cases in the country with 19 recoveries and no fatalities. This number includes 12 new cases announced on November 14 by NPHIL – four from Nimba, four from Lofa, one each from Grand Bassa ad Margibi, and two from Sinoe County.
Amid the outbreak, there have been concerns about the availability of vaccines in the country. But on November 5, the World Health Organization, Africa CDC, and other partners, in a Joint Press Release announced the allocation of 899,000 Mpox vaccine doses for nine countries across the African region that are hit hard by the current mpox outbreak including Liberia.
The other countries are Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
The release notes that the doses will come from Canada, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union, and the United States of America.
On November 18, FrontPage Africa reported that health authorities in Liberia have confirmed that 10,000 of the vaccine doses were on their way to Liberia.
So as the Mpox vaccines make way to Liberia, what do you need to know about the vaccine? First Let’s tell you about the Mpox vaccine.
What is Mpox?
Mpox is a viral disease caused by an infection with a virus known as Monkeypox virus. It is in the same family of the virus that causes smallpox. The virus that causes mpox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research.
The first human case of Mpox was recorded in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2022, the WHO declared the disease a public health concern when it started spreading around the world.
Types of Mpox Vaccines
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC, there are two types of vaccines (JYNNEOS and ACAM2000) that can prevent Mpox. The two vaccines are made from a virus called vaccinia, which is a poxvirus related to mpox, they are considered less harmful. Only JYNNEOS has been used in the ongoing clade II outbreak.
The JYNNEOS Vaccine
JYNNEOS is a vaccine that is used to prevent smallpox and monkeypox disease in adults 18 years of age and older, who are determined to be at high risk for smallpox or monkeypox infection.
It is a live virus vaccine that contains Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN), a weakened, non-replicating orthopoxvirus. This means the vaccine is made using a live virus that has been modified and weakened so much that it cannot multiply or spread in the human body.
The Food and Drugs Administration or FDA approved the JYNNEOS vaccine in 2019 and issued an Emergency Use Authorization or EUA for JYNNEOS for people under age 18 during the 2022 Mpox outbreak.
This vaccine is approved by the FDA for administration beneath the skin, as a two-dose series which is administered four weeks apart. This is the current vaccine that is in use.
The ACAM2000 Vaccine
For this vaccine, it is a live replication-competent vaccinia virus vaccine. This means the vaccine is made from a live virus that is capable of copying itself (replicating) once it enters the human body. According to the CDC, it can cause a clinical vaccinia infection in humans, as well as produce an infectious virus that can spread to others. However, it cannot cause Mpox. It is approved for the prevention of smallpox and Mpox disease in individuals determined to be at high risk for smallpox or Mpox infection. ACAM2000 vaccine is not being used for this current outbreak.
Mpox Vaccine Effectiveness
Vaccine effectiveness, according to the CDC, is the measure of how well vaccination works under normal conditions to protect people against infection, symptomatic illness, hospitalization, and death.
So far, the effectiveness data for the JYNNEOS vaccine shows that it is effective at reducing the risk of Mpox, with two doses providing the best protection.
The CDC also assures that all studies have proven that the JYNNEOS vaccine is effective in preventing Mpox.
Known Side Effects
The CDC states that not everyone who receives the JYNNEOS vaccine experiences side effects.
However, for those who do, the most common side effects they experience include pain, redness, and itching at the injection site. They might also experience fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, chills, and muscle aches.
These signs indicate that the immune system of the vaccinated person is responding and debunks the misperception that the person is getting sick. The side effects or signs may last for weeks, according to the CDC.
Conclusion
Based on the scientifically proven information about the Mpox vaccine, it is safe to take the vaccine to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
NPHIL recently announced that the vaccine that is coming to the country is the JYNNEOS or the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) which will not be for sale because it was donated to the country. However, it is unclear who will receive the vaccine when it arrives in the country.
