Spain approves ‘dose-sparing’ of monkeypox vaccine
Two samples of suspected cases of monkeypox go through a process of nucleic acid extraction as they get tested at a microbiology lab at La Paz Hospital in Madrid, Spain, June 1, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
MADRID — Spanish health authorities on Monday approved a new monkeypox vaccination strategy, allowing more people to get vaccinated with smaller doses amid scarce supplies, the health ministry said in a statement.
Each dose of Bavarian Nordic’s Imvanex vaccine, the only monkeypox vaccine currently available, will be divided into five doses, with exceptions for pregnant women and immunocompromised people, the ministry said.
With the new strategy, Spain follows in the footsteps of Britain, which also approved the use of smaller doses of the monkeypox vaccine on Monday, following the European Medicines Agency decision last week to allow “dose-sparing”.
On Monday, Spain received a further 5,000 doses of the vaccine, bringing the total received to more than 17,000 doses.
Spain is among the countries worst-hit by the disease, registering more than 6,119 monkeypox cases since May.
Article continues after this advertisementWorldwide, more than 40,000 cases have been reported in 80 non-endemic countries.
Article continues after this advertisementRELATED STORIES
Britain to pilot using smaller doses of monkeypox vaccine to boost supply
US authorizes monkeypox vaccine injection method to increase supply
US to get 36,000 more monkeypox vaccine doses this week, HHS says
PH working with US gov’t to secure monkeypox vaccines
