The first monkeypox vaccines have arrived in Australia, with the rollout commencing in Victoria this week.
The Victorian minister for health, Mary-Anne Thomas, announced on Tuesday that the state had received an initial 3,500 doses of the Jynneos vaccine.
Thorne Harbour Health, which operates clinics in Abbotsford and St Kilda, began vaccinating people at 11am the next morning, said Colin Batrouney, its director of health promotion, policy and communications.
As of Friday, there had been 34 cases of monkeypox recorded in Victoria.
In the first phase of the rollout, the vaccine is primarily available from five clinics in metro Victoria. Several regional locations are also involved in the rollout, but supplies will be limited until September, when more doses are set to arrive.
Jynneos is a third-generation smallpox vaccine that is also effective against monkeypox, because the two viruses are closely related. It has fewer side-effects than previous smallpox vaccines, and is administered in two doses, at least 28 days apart.
Currently, eligibility is limited to high-risk close contacts of monkeypox cases, laboratory workers who analyse monkeypox specimens, and certain men (both cis and trans) who have sex with men. The last category includes those living with HIV, who attend sex on premises venues, or are intending to engage in sexual practices in North America or Europe before 31 October. Sex workers who engage with any of the mentioned groups are also eligible.
For those planning to travel to a country experiencing a significant outbreak, vaccination is recommended four to six weeks ahead of departure, Batrouney said.
