If you have previously received immunization against smallpox, will it offer protection against Monkeypox?
The CDC declared that Monkeypox is closely associated with this virus. Which causes smallpox, and the smallpox vaccine can offer an element of protection against Monkeypox.
Charlotte, N.C, with cases of Monkeypox rising throughout the U.S. And in the Carolinas many. Those who were given a vaccine for smallpox are wondering whether it can help them avoid it.
WCNC Charlotte’s VERIFY team received this question from a viewer Lynda O.
“Does the smallpox vaccine administered to children before 1972 provide immunity against Monkeypox? ”
Our Sources
- South Carolina State Epidemiologist Dr. Lynda Bell
- The CDC
The CDC stated that Monkeypox was closely associated with the smallpox virus, and vaccines for smallpox can offer some protection from Monkeypox.
The two smallpox vaccines available on the market are also used to prevent Monkeypox. And are given to those who are thought to be at risk.
The CDC has stated that past research shows that the smallpox vaccine is 85percent effective in preventing Monkeypox.
To get the most current news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app.
But what happens if you were vaccinated against smallpox a long time ago?
The CDC stated that they stopped routine vaccinations against smallpox in 1972.
After they eliminated the disease within the U.S., the government did not give smallpox vaccinations regularly to the public.
Bell stated that while smallpox vaccinations can help prevent Monkeypox. And scientists are still examining how long the protection will be adequate and whether those who received the vaccine before 1972 remain protected.
“We aren’t certain how many people get full protection from prior vaccination, specifically from decades-old smallpox vaccine,” Bell said.
However, the CDC indeed notes that in the 2003 outbreak of Monkeypox, patients who had received the vaccine years ago were infected.
Bell added that the researchers would continue investigating this issue to determine how long the vaccine will protect.
“We believe that prior smallpox vaccinations may give some form of immunity, but it hasn’t been extensively studied,” Bell said.
The CDC says that if someone who has had exposure to Monkeypox has not had a vaccine against smallpox in the past three years, they need to think about having a vaccination.
