The new variant of the disease, clade 1b, has been found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and further across parts of central and east Africa. Scientists are concerned about how fast the disease is spreading and its high mortality rate.
METRO has joined over 55 other UK health groups and academics calling on the UK Government to take “immediate, bold and continuing action” to prevent Mpox from developing into a pandemic. The open letter demands urgent access to vaccines & testing for at-risk countries. Read the letter in full here.
The risk to the UK population is currently considered low, however, the situation is changing daily, so health guidance is likely to change as time goes on. There is no evidence to suggest that men who have sex with men are at increased risk of acquiring this new variant.
Currently, the advice is to not contact your sexual health clinic for an initial or booster Mpox vaccination. Instead, please wait for your next routine appointment. The UK has been giving Mpox vaccinations since 2022 against variant clade 2. As the new clade 1b is genetically very similar to clade 2, it is assumed that clade 2 vaccinations can offer protection against the new variant.
If you are coming along to our Pitstop Clinic in Woolwich, our team have information about Mpox and can talk with you about any concerns you may have.
For further information visit the NHS website.
You can also follow out friends at Team PrEPster, Love Tank CIC, and Terrence Higgins Trust via social media for further updates.