Latest Updates on Monkeypox Continued

Smallpox Vaccine Can Provide Immunity to Monkeypox Those Vaccinated in Eradication Program Last Century May Have Immunity

by David Aaron Moore Qnotes Staff Writer

Beginning in 1958 and continuing until 1977, the United States, in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO), initiated and ended a program to eradicate smallpox from the planet.

When the program was completed and declared a success, the vaccinations came to an end.

For everyone who received that vaccination, there’s a tell-tale sign: an oval shaped or round scar on the exterior bicep, typically on the right arm.

For some people it can serve as an automatic identifier for youthful apearing Baby Boomers or Gen Xers. For those who received the vaccine, there’s an added bonus that was unexpected: potential immunity to the monkeypox virus.

You heard that right. If you’re over 50, chances are you were vaccinated with the smallpox virus and carry some immunity to the current disease du jour. In some cases potentially as high as 85 percent. But not for everyone. The usual challenges such as health issues, immune system capability and age can factor into your potential immune possibilities to monkeypox. Some can be immune, while others will, at least, become less sick if infected with the disease.

According to Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital and Dean of the National school of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, the global eradication of smallpox may have allowed a stronger hold and faster spread for monkeypox.

“Monkeypox is believed to have become more prevalent after we stopped vaccinating populations against smallpox,” Hotex said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “We pretty much stopped or halted the smallpox vaccine programs, and that was actually enabling for monkeypox to emerge among human populations because immunity was wearing off.”

Monkeypox and smallpox are caused by orthopax viruses. The diseases are so much alike the same vaccine is used to treat both viruses. Known as Jynneos, it is currently available for patients who are considered to be at high risk of contracting the monkeypox virus.

“Mecklenburg County is the epicenter of monkeypox in North Carolina,” says

Wes Thompson, the director of HIV Medical Services at Amity Medical Group, which frequently offers health treatment services for men who have sex with men. As of August 5, the number of infected reported in Mecklenburg County was around 60.

“Most of the people who have been infected with monkeypox are men who have sex with men,” Thompson explains. “Some of them identify as gay but not all.”

Thompson says he believes the virus is transmitted through extended exposure to the bodily fluids of another individual who is infected.

“This outbreak, which has spread across Europe and to the United States, has been traced back to a ... party in Ibiza,” he continues.

As for individuals who were vaccinated during the smallpox eradication program, he concedes immunity is possible, but some limited immunity is more likely.

“If someone became infected who had received that vaccine, they would probably be less ill, and fare better than individuals who had received no kind of treatment. Thompson confirms the vaccination is available at Amity Medical Group for patients who believe they are in a high risk category. For more details on vaccination, contact Amity Medical by phone at 704.208.4134 or visit their website. : :

Individuals vaccinated for smallpox before 1977 usually have this scar. There’s a good chance they have immunity to monkeypox, too. (CREDIT: Adobe)

Lab Techs Refusing To Draw Blood From Monkeypox Patients Experts Worry Stigma Could Prolong the Outbreak

BY JOHN RUSSELL |CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Technicians at two of the largest commercial labs in the U.S. have been refusing to draw blood from suspected monkeypox patients. CNN confirms that phlebotomists at Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics are refusing to perform the tests that are both standard practice and necessary to identify the disease as well as differentiating between monkeypox and other STIs.

It remains unclear whether the techs are refusing on their own or due to company policy.

“The fact that this is happening is an echo of the earliest days of HIV,” says David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors. “This is a grave dereliction of duty.”

“This reminds me of the days when people didn’t want to care for HIV patients,” said New York University bioethicist Arthur Caplan.

As of August 4, cases of monkeypox in the United States jumped 81 percent from the previous week, with the CDC reporting 6,326 cases as of August 2. Around the country the disease has spread mostly among men who have sex with men.

Experts worry that the labs’ refusals to take blood from patients will contribute to stigma and discrimination around monkeypox, discouraging those who may have been exposed from seeking treatment and contributing to the spread of the outbreak.

“The fact that phlebotomists are afraid of taking specimens makes it even more unappealing for someone to ask for a monkeypox test,” says Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF Health. “We can’t afford a delay in diagnostic testing because commercial labs aren’t doing the right thing,” says Harvey.

Diane Crawford, CEO of the National Phlebotomy Association says that technicians have no reason to fear taking blood from monkeypox patients as long as they take standard precautions. In a statement, Quest spokesperson Kim Gorode said that the lab is following “CDC guidelines that state that patients with confirmed or suspected monkeypox infection should be isolated. Once an individual is out of isolation, we will provide service for them.”

However, CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund says that “CDC’s monkeypox isolation guidance specifically states that people should remain isolated, except to get medical care. Obtaining a sample for

testing is medical care that could lead to diagnosis or treatment if warranted.” In a subsequent email to CNN, Gorode said that Quest is revaluating its guidance “in light of updates posted on the CDC site.” Another spokesperson from the CDC said the only update was that the sentence about the isolation guidelines not applying to health-care settings was moved higher on the page. Labcorp president of diagnostics Dr. Brian Caveney said that the company is reviewing its policies on drawing blood from suspected monkeypox patients and that they are likely to change. Lack of testing capacity has been one CNN recently confirmed Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics have refused to perform tests that are standard practice. (Photo Credit: Screen Capture) of the factors contributing to the monkeypox outbreak in the U.S. On Tuesday, the White House announced that testing capacity has expanded from 6,000 tests per week to over 80,000 tests per week. Meanwhile, far-right conservatives like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have already begun to stigmatize the disease with outlandish claims due to the outbreak among gay and bisexual men. This article appears courtesy of our media partner LGBTQ Nation. ::