Taiwan Implements Community Firewall Against Monkeypox

Recently, two indigenous cases of monkeypox were discovered in Taiwan. The infected individuals had no travel history and resided in different regions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the original recommendation for vaccination was only for laboratory personnel who handle the virus, but in order to establish a firewall against monkeypox in the community, it will be expanded to laboratory personnel who handle viruses of the Orthopoxviral genus. In addition, those who have not been vaccinated with the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccine can receive it after the completion of a health monitoring period. As available vaccines are limited, people over 18 years old can now receive the vaccine through intradermal injection, with a dosage one-fifth of that required for subcutaneous injection.

In addition to vaccination, the command center also announced the use of monkeypox antiviral drugs for children, especially infants under one-year-old, pregnant, and lactating women. A recommended dosage of use was also added for infected individuals with a bodyweight lower than 13 kilograms. Such a widespread vaccination campaign and the expansion of the eligible vaccination population are questionable preventative measures for only two local cases.