Berlin to start monkeypox vaccinations soon

Vaccinations against the monkeypox virus will start soon in Berlin.

The goal is to begin in the coming week, Senator for Health Ulrike Gote said after a Senate meeting on Tuesday (June 29, 2022). "For me, every day counts here," the Green Party politician added. "If I see 30 to 50 more people getting infected every day, I want to be able to act as quickly as possible."

Over 500 monkeypox cases registered in Berlin

So far, 557 people have been registered with the monkeypox virus in Berlin (as of Monday evening), Gote informed. Nationwide, there are 838 registered cases, meaning that two-thirds of all monkeypox infections in Germany were registered in the federal capital. According to the Robert Koch Institute, the pathogen is mostly transmitted from person to person through close physical contact. "In Berlin, as far as we know, the disease is currently spreading exclusively among men who have sex with men," Gote said. But all population groups could become infected.

First vaccine shipment already arrived

Berlin has already received its first shipment of the monkeypox vaccine. According to the senator, the initial plan is for HIV specialist practices, the Charité hospital and the clinic for infectious diseases at St. Joseph Hospital in Tempelhof to offer vaccination. In total, Berlin is to receive 80,000 of the 200,000 vaccine doses ordered by the federal government. According to Gote, the vaccination is an important component in containing the outbreak of the virus.

Vaccination first offered to contact persons

"Because the vaccine is only available in limited quantities for the time being, the Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko) recommends offering vaccination preferentially to exposed contact persons at the moment," Gote said. The Stiko recommends vaccination for contacts of infected persons and for persons at increased risk of infection. A larger quantity of vaccine is expected from the second half of July, the senator added.