*Translated by Sara Pasino
MILAN – From Wednesday, August 10, starting from 12 pm, people in Lombardy are able to book a slot for the Monkeypox shot, through the regional portal website. It was announced by the General Welfare Directorate of the Lombardy Region in a note following the meeting held at the Coordination Unit for the management of the epidemic of “Monkeypox”.
Nine infected cases in Varese
The vaccines will be provided by the ‘Centers for the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections’ (IST/MTS centers) of the Asst/IRCCS Lombardy and the first doses of the vaccine “Jynneos” have been inoculated from Wednesday, August 10, and will be distributed to different people. Then Aria (the Regional Agency for Innovation and Purchasing) has activated a booking system before the arrival of additional vaccines. The Ministry of Health provided 2000 doses. These will be distributed according to the wave of the infection, starting from Milan where 70% of the cases have been recorded. In the province of Varese nine people have been infected.
The requirements
Before the vaccination, a doctor will look at the patient’s medical record to check for any contraindications and to comply with the requirements defined by the Ministry of Health for vaccination. The vaccine is currently offered to laboratory staff with possible direct exposure to the virus and to gay, transgender, bisexual men and other men who have had sexual intercourse with men (MSM) and who have had risky sexual behaviours. These include:
- Recent history with multiple sexual partners
- Participation in group sex events
- Participation in sexual meetings in clubs, clubs, cruising, saunas
- Recent sexually transmitted infection (at least one episode in the last year)
- Practice of associating sexual acts with the consumption of chemical drugs (Chemsex)
- Prevention and awareness
If you have already received a vaccination for smallpox then you will not need to book this dose. Generally speaking, only people under the age of 45 will be accepted.
«To control the spread of the infection, on top of the action of prophylaxis and the 2000 doses of vaccination – said the vice president and city council member to the Welfare – it will also be important to raise awareness on any risk behaviour and the precautions to be taken at an individual level».
«This is why, I want to thank the associations involved in the Unit of coordination that have contributed with their important experience. Thanks also to the network for the prevention of infectious diseases of Lombardy that has been promptly activated to monitor the spread of Monkeypox, also isolating and sequencing the virus, and is now in charge of the operational phase of vaccination».
Doses distributed in the various medical centres:
The 2,000 doses are distributed as follows:
Irccs Hospital Milan, 280
Asst Fbf Sacco, 280
Asst Saints and Paul, 280
Asst Niguarda, 240
Irccs San Raffaele, 280
Irccs San Matteo Pavia, 140
Asst Spedali Civili di Brescia, 100
Asst Pope John XXIII of Bergamo, 140
Asst Monza, San Gerardo, 140
Asst Sette Laghi Hospital of Circolo di Varese, 120