UK Orders 150,000 Mpox Vaccines

The UK government has secured over 150,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine to enhance its defenses against a new strain of the virus spreading in Africa. While no UK cases have been reported, the government plans to administer the vaccine based on clinical needs and eligibility.

The UK government has announced the acquisition of more than 150,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine. This move aims to bolster preparedness against a new strain of the virus that is currently proliferating in various African countries.

No cases of the clade I mpox strain have been detected in the UK so far, but the virus has quickly spread outside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it initially broke out. Commenting on the measure, Susan Hopkins, chief medical advisor at the UK Health Security Agency, stated, "We are preparing for any cases that we might see in the UK, and vaccination plays a vital part in our defenses."

Vaccination will be offered in stages to eligible individuals based on clinical needs. The government will prioritize gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, specific healthcare workers, humanitarian workers traveling to affected regions, and close contacts of confirmed cases. The World Health Organization has approved the Bavarian Nordic vaccine and initiated a program to distribute the vaccine and related treatments to vulnerable populations in the world's poorest nations.

Several countries have pledged to donate doses of the mpox vaccine to African nations. The European Union has committed to sharing 215,000 doses among the affected countries and has urged member states to coordinate their donations.

(With inputs from agencies.)