Experts are now trying their best to slow the spread of monkeypox. But what about the elderly
Representatives of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize that people who have not been vaccinated against smallpox in the past three years should consider vaccination.
At the same time, there are someStudies have shown that smallpox vaccination given in childhood can provide reliable protection against the disease decades later. However, experts say that all the same, people who have received such a vaccine (they are now elderly) should not think that they are immune to the disease.
Associate Professor of the Department of Population Health and PreventionDiseases of the University of California at Irvine Andrew Neumer notes that such a vaccination still provides a certain level of protection. But not as strong as one might expect.
A study on the outbreak of smallpox in1972 in Yugoslavia, showed that after a few decades, the vaccine is no longer so effective. Before the outbreak was eradicated, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people get boosters every five years.
Another study carried out afterThe latest outbreak of monkeypox in the United States in 2003 produced encouraging results. It turned out that people who were vaccinated against smallpox had a better tolerance for the disease when they contracted it.
With regard to the current outbreak of monkeypox, there have already been cases where the disease has occurred in the elderly. That is, those who, most likely, were vaccinated against smallpox in childhood.
News stories cannot be equated with a doctor's prescription. Before making a decision, consult a specialist.