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Dear Friend,
By now, you’ve likely heard that the World Health Organization has declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern.
Like many of us, you may be wondering what this means for you, your loved ones, and how it may impact your daily life—especially after seeing how much COVID-19 has changed the world. So we rounded up the answers to some commonly asked questions:
What causes monkeypox? Monkeypox is a virus in the same category as smallpox and is primarily spread through close human-to-human contact (contact with skin lesions or respiratory droplets) and fomites (objects like clothes or furniture).
Who is at risk? While the current outbreak has disproportionately impacted men who have sex with men, it’s critical to understand that monkeypox can spread to people of any gender, sexual orientation, or age.
Is monkeypox a new virus? No. Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox has been endemic to 11 countries in West and Central Africa for years. It received little attention outside of those countries until recently, when it started impacting wealthier nations in Europe and the United States.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox? Skin lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue are the most common symptoms. They typically last from 2 to 4 weeks, and while many people have only mild symptoms, severe cases can occur.
How can I protect myself and others? The CDC currently recommends that you avoid close contact (such as kissing, hugging, or sex) with people who have monkeypox or a monkeypox-like rash; avoid touching objects (such as utensils and bedding) used by people with monkeypox; and wash your hands often.
Is there a monkeypox vaccine? The JYNNEOS vaccine is authorized by the FDA for monkeypox. The US and some countries have authorized the use of specific vaccines to prevent monkeypox but there is not yet global guidance from the World Health Organization.
Does Médecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF) have experience treating monkeypox? Localized monkeypox cases commonly occur where MSF works and often are isolated to a single patient or family. Prior to the current outbreak, the virus was thought to be self-limiting. MSF has a history of treating monkeypox—including in the Central African Republic in 2018—but we are not directly responding to this current outbreak.
This email was sent from the U.S. section of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international independent medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and exclusion from health care.
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