The government has announced plans to administer the smallpox vaccine to those considered at risk of contracting the monkeypox virus.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly confirmed that the smallpox vaccine would be offered in order to protect individuals deemed to be at a higher risk of monkeypox infection. People will receive two doses of the vaccine, the second of which will be administered 28 days after their first injection.
“Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting illness, and most people recover within a few weeks, however the rapid spread of infection necessitates further measures beyond those currently in place,” Minister Donnelly told RTE.
