Monkeypox?

[MonkeypoxThread]

Apologies if there is already a thread about this - the search function is useless atm! I will get this deleted if it's a duplication.

Just interested to read MNers views on this as I don't know what to make of the news reports, and I know there are very knowledgable MNers. I think it's hard for people with no knowledge of things like this, to gauge the "significance" of these cases from the news.

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being "meh, whatever, fuck it" and 10 being "PANIC MODE ENABLED" I'm normally about a 3. Is that about right?

[TokyoSushi]

I don't know anything at all, but also currently at about a 2/3

[MonkeypoxThread]

That's quite comforting Toyko. I do think a scale helps assess the level of worry/alarm, a bit like triage at A and E?

For full disclosure I was classed as CEV for Covid but as time passed went from about, ooooh 17,219 on the Panic Scale to about a 2.

I wouldn't care for a repeat of that.

[Hospedia]

Currently around a 1 on this. There's not enough information to go on yet and they think undiagnosed numbers are probably higher which would indicate those undiagnosed people are getting through it without a need for medical attention/advice.

I'm just carrying on doing what I normally do to avoid bugs - good hand hygiene, avoiding visibily sick people, and avoiding other people if I'm ill/the DC are ill.

[mindutopia]

I work in sexual health based in one of the clinics where a lot of these cases are turning up. I wouldn’t be too concerned. Maybe a 3 on the panic scale.

This strain seems to be different from the ones that are more typical so is more mild. Transmission requires skin to skin contact. This is why we are seeing it spread mostly in particular sexual networks where people have high numbers of casual partners. It’s not like COVID where you would be infected at Lidl or at work (unless you work in healthcare obviously).

There have been a number more cases identified today (not sure if that’s been announced yet), and we saw 2 at our central London clinic yesterday apparently. But it seems relatively mild, if unpleasant. My assumption (purely based on my knowledge of who we are seeing who are infected) is that some of these cases will already be immuno compromised. Obviously that’s not great for them, but I don’t think we have to worry about wide community based transmission. It will tail off in due course.

[amusedbush]

I haven’t heard anything about this but I just watched the new episode of Young Sheldon and he mentioned monkeypox - weird! I’m off to google…

[Waxonwaxoff0]

1.

Monkey pox is nothing like Covid. Covid was a brand new, novel virus with no treatment. Monkey pox is not a new virus - we know lots about it, there are treatments and it's nowhere near as contagious as Covid

[Thethreecs]

CNN did a big piece on it last night. They said it's mainly a sexually transmitted disease. It's transmitted through body fluids. It's not like covid, it's not airborne, it's not caught through breathing etc like covid.

[nearlyspringyay]

Bit odd that's it turned up here now and is transmitting in the community.

3.

[Hospedia]

@Waxonwaxoff0

1.

Monkey pox is nothing like Covid. Covid was a brand new, novel virus with no treatment. Monkey pox is not a new virus - we know lots about it, there are treatments and it's nowhere near as contagious as Covid

This too.

And the smallpox vaccine is something like 85% effective against it I think? So if it did take off in a big way then they'd probably offer that to vulnerable groups and we'd all crack on as normal.

[Itsbackagain]

1

[twoandcooplease]

I think a 2. I only heard about it last night from DP. But soon you will see people getting worried anyway probably start hiding in their houses. I really hope the news and online media don't put unnecessary fear into everyone again where they start panic buying. I can't deal with that again

[MonkeypoxThread]

@Thethreecs

CNN did a big piece on it last night. They said it's mainly a sexually transmitted disease. It's transmitted through body fluids. It's not like covid, it's not airborne, it's not caught through breathing etc like covid.

Well the attached screenshot is from the latest BBC update. I think this is half the problem, too many information sources giving different information.

(I realise soliciting opinions on MN kind of contradicts my point there but actually I know MN contains many women with expertise and knowledge in specific areas (eg in FWR, there is so much to be learnt there and a lot of women who I trust to give excellent, informed and knowledgeable advice).

I'm hoping for that here, I wasn't sure whether to put this in the Health or News topic but thought Chat was most suitable. I try to stay away from AIBU though, it would probably just end up in a massive fight about fucking face masks or something

[MonkeypoxThread]

Agh these fucking tiny photos problems! If you click on my photo it's actually a bigger quote (I couldn't copy and paste from BBC for some reason)

[MonkeypoxThread]

I also challenge people to read that without the automatic "spread diseases" response after the coughs and sneezes sentence Maybe I'm showing my age

[Earlydancing]

If it's a sexually transmitted disease, sadly I'm probably at -10 on the worried scale. 😄

[MonkeypoxThread]

The "sexually transmitted" aspect is making me feel a bit as I'm also old enough to remember the AIDS leaflets with headstones on dropping through letterboxes, and the associated judgement/vilification of gay people.

It doesn't sound like it's a specific STI/D to me, more that the diagnosed cases have been diagnosed transmitted through bodily contact/fluids that's happened to have been sexual rather than via sneezes etc?

Sorry if that is complete ignorance or just makes absolutely no sense, my brain isn't working very well today (genuinely)

[Waxonwaxoff0]

@Earlydancing

If it's a sexually transmitted disease, sadly I'm probably at -10 on the worried scale. 😄

Same here 😂

[ENoeuf]

What @mindutopia said. In a different field of work but not concerned. It's unpleasant looking but mild in terms of symptoms from what I've seen. But it has an exciting media friendly name.

[MonkeypoxThread]

Well, this is MN - you might not have to worry about sexual transmission, but if it can be transmitted via doing the laundry, we are all fucked

(I actually don't, or very rarely, do the laundry in our house so I am on a -10 there myself)

[ChardonnaysBeastlyCat]

I just keep thinking what fresh will there be next.

Tired of all this shit.

[BootsAndRoots]

The fact that cases seem be doubling (albeit from 9 to 20 cases today) is worrying.

I imagine there is nervousness in the media to report on it because it's spreading around the gay community (both in the UK and on the continent).

Hopefully with the measures used for Covid, they should be more prepared, but I don't have much faith!

[SnottyLottie]

I’d say 2-3

from what I’ve read, it’s slightly worse than chickenpox but milder than smallpox. It seems very contagious but the symptoms are being reported as mild/non serious. I wouldn’t want to get it because it looks gross but I don’t think it’s deadly. Hopefully this is true.

[megletthesecond]

Another one who is -10 on the worried scale if it's an STD. And there is treatment for it. We know what we're doing with this one I assume.

[Echobelly]

I think no one would especially care about it were it not for covid. As people have said, it's not new and it's not that catchy, it's not going to increase exponentially so it's much more containable.

[DidiSharma]

It's supposed to be mild but it's the scars that I'm worried about.