Vaccination against monkeypox will be maintained in France for several more months, and probably at the beginning of 2023, announced the Ministry of Health on Tuesday August 30, welcoming a mobilization which “begins to bear fruit”.
“Global prevention allows for the first time a drop in incidence”, rejoiced during a press briefing Professor Jérôme Salomon, Director General of Health. His remarks echoed those of the World Health Organization (WHO), which judged “encouraging” signs of a slowdown in the monkeypox epidemic in Europe. Nevertheless, we “we must do everything to further reduce the impact of the epidemic”however, advocated Jérôme Salomon.
In France, the latest report shows 3,547 confirmed cases. Some 1% of sick people had to be hospitalized. “The data suggests that we have passed the peak of contamination but we remain very cautious”said Tuesday Laëtitia Huiart, Scientific Director of Public Health France.
In France, 220 vaccination centers have managed to administer 70,000 doses of vaccine to date. “By the end of the week, we will have exceeded 140,000 doses delivered to the field”detailed Jérôme Salomon.
The trial of vaccination in five pharmacies in three regions, launched at the beginning of August, is “positive” but there are still “organizational and logistical difficulties, with refrigeration and conservation issues” vaccine doses, he said. It is possible to “advocate a pragmatic enlargement” of the initiative according to the needs, but it is not intended to be generalized.
Vaccination cannot in any case be enough on its own to stem the epidemic, recalled Jérôme Salomon, insisting on the importance of prevention and individual and collective behavior.