Finland to expand monkeypox vaccinations to persons at risk

Monkeypox vaccinations in Finland will be expanded to those who have the highest risk of being infected with the disease, said the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a press release on Monday.

Until now, the monkeypox vaccine has only been offered to persons who have been exposed to the disease and to close personal contacts of infected persons.

The risk of infection and the limited availability of the vaccines have both been taken into account when defining the risk groups.

Risk groups include men who use HIV preventive PrEP medication and have sex with men, men who are waiting for PrEP treatment and have sex with men, men who have contracted HIV, have sex with men and have had several sexual partners in the past six months, men who have sex with men, have had several sexual partners in the past six months and have had at least group sex or a diagnosed sexually transmitted disease or a visit in places at home or abroad where there has been sex between men or participation in events in Finland or abroad that involved sex between men.

The vaccination series for risk groups consists of two doses of the vaccine. The interval between the first and second doses is at least four weeks. Hospital districts and municipal authorities will provide information on when vaccines are available and how vaccinations in the area are arranged.

So far, 41 cases of monkeypox have been diagnosed in Finland. Monkeypox can be contracted both in Finland and abroad. All infected persons have been adult men.