Monkeypox in the EU
EU to take swift and coordinated action against monkeypox
CC – 06/2022
In just over a month, more than 1,150 cases of monkeypox have been
detected in the European Union. The outbreak of the viral disease is unusual
because it has already spread to about 30 countries worldwide so far. Of these,
85 per cent of infections occurred in Europe.
Coordinated measures
While the number of cases is manageable, decision makers do not
want to make mistakes similar to those made at the beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic. The viral infections and the relatively rapid spread are taken
seriously. Both at the European level and at supranational levels, monkeypox
should be tackled with rapid and coordinated action.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus.
Clinically, it is manifested primarily by fever, skin rash as well as mental
and muscular weakness. The incubation period for monkeypox is 5 to 21 days.
Monkeypox is considered a less severe disease compared to smallpox which has
been eradicated since 1980.The
virus is typically endemic to only a few Central and West African countries,
making the current trend unusual (more information from the RKI here).
HERA becomes active
As a lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, HERA – the Health
Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority – was set up and has been
operating since October 2021. Its mandate in health emergencies is to
coordinate cross-border action at EU level in response to health threats. Among
other things, HERA is also becoming active in vaccine procurement – no longer
just for COVID-19, but also for monkeypox.
EU buys over 100,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine
HERA, based at the European Commission, has purchased about
110,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine from the Danish manufacturer Bavarian
Nordic. The first shipments of the monkeypox vaccine, called Imvanex are
scheduled for the end of June. The delivery quantity will be proportional to
the size of the population. HERA purchased them using EU funds. Distribution to
Member States is a novelty here, as previous joint procurements for coronavirus
vaccines were made through framework agreements. While the European Commission
has negotiated with vaccine manufacturers to date, supplies have been paid for
and handled by Member States.
Talks about EU approval
Imvanex is so far the only vaccine in the world already approved
for monkeypox vaccination in some countries, such as the U.S. and Canada. In
the EU, the vaccine has been approved against smallpox since 2013. The European
Medicines Agency (EMA) is in talks with the Danish vaccine manufacturer about
an EU approval for monkeypox vaccine.
Some countries in Europe have already purchased vaccine doses
directly from the manufacturer, including Germany. According to
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, around 40,000 vaccine doses could still
be delivered in June and another 200,000 in the course of the second half of
the year. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) had last week
recommended monkeypox vaccination for certain risk groups and people who have had close
contact with infected persons.
The issue is also being considered at the supranational level. WHO
has convened the Emergency Committee owing to the prevalence of monkeypox cases
in numerous countries. The Council meets on 23 June and is expected to decide
whether the situation is a "public health emergency of international
concern," as was the case with COVID-19.