Mass vaccination against monkeypox not recommended by MOH after WHO declares it a global health emergency

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not recommend the mass vaccination of Singapore’s population against monkeypox, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Monday (Jul 25), reiterating the ministry’s stance on the viral disease.

This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern.

“As of now, given the self-limiting nature of the disease, MOH does not recommend the mass vaccination of the whole population against monkeypox, because the benefits do not outweigh the risk,” Mr Ong said in a Facebook post.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

In Singapore, four imported and four local cases of monkeypox have been detected.

"There was no evidence of them transmitting the infection to other people in the community,” he said.

“MOH also quarantines their close contacts for up to 21 days since last exposure, while lower risk contacts are monitored through phone surveillance."

Each monkeypox case typically generates three to four close contacts who require quarantine. This is unlike COVID-19, which may generate up to 20 quarantine orders, said the Health Minister.

A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported globally since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.

A public health emergency of international concern is the top alert available to the WHO to tackle a global disease outbreak.

It is defined as "an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response".

In a written reply to Parliament on Jul 4, Mr Ong explained the ministry’s stance on vaccination against monkeypox.

“Unlike COVID-19 vaccination, mass population-wide vaccination with the smallpox vaccine is not recommended as a preventive strategy for monkeypox, in line with international recommendations and the global response thus far,” he wrote.

“Although the smallpox vaccine is up to 85 per cent effective at preventing monkeypox, it has potentially severe side effects.

“For the general population, the risks of complications outweigh the benefits, because they are at low risk of being infected.

“Exercising personal responsibility to avoid high risk activities, especially when symptomatic, and practising good personal hygiene remain effective at reducing the risk of transmission in the general population.”