The Andhra Pradesh chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has suggested the precautions to be taken in the wake of the growing incidence of monkeypox, which has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
In an open advisory to the government, IMA State president C. Srinivasa Raju said that precautions such as screening of international travellers, procurement of vaccine against monkeypox from Australia, prohibition of pet animal transport from abroad, and commissioning of isolated wards for monkeypox suspects in every district hospital should be taken.
Besides, awareness programmes should be conducted for medical and nursing staff, and people who had not been vaccinated for smallpox during their childhood should be immunised now, Dr. Srinivasa Raju said.
He said, according to the WHO, smallpox vaccines were 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.
He said monkeypox would not spread like coronavirus, or other respiratory disease-causing viruses. The symptoms last for two to four weeks and could include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, back and muscle pain, lack of energy.
