Vaccination against monkeypox will be maintained in France for several more months in 2022 and probably at the beginning of 2023, the Ministry of Health indicated 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 which judged shortly before “encouraging” signs of a slowdown in the monkeypox epidemic in Europe.
If the scientific modeling points in the direction of a continued reduction in the number of new cases, we “we must do everything to further reduce the impact of the epidemic”however advocated the Mr. Salomon.
In France, the latest report shows 3,547 confirmed cases. In number of cases, the country ranks fourth in Europe, but ranks seventh if we relate this number to the population, detailed Laëtitia Huiart, scientific director of Public Health France. About 1% of sick people had to be hospitalized, a figure « stable ». “The data suggests that we have passed the peak of contamination, but we remain very cautious”she said.
70,000 doses of vaccine administered
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 also said. If we can “advocate a pragmatic enlargement” of the initiative according to needs, it is not intended to be generalized, he continued.
Vaccination cannot in any case be enough to stem the epidemic, recalled Mr. Salomon, insisting on the importance of prevention and individual and collective behavior.
The Minister of Health, François Braun, will meet on September 13 “all stakeholders, associations in particular”as he had done in early August, to take stock of the epidemic, he announced in an interview with the Doctor’s Daily.