Anyone else worried about M pox?

[girlfriend44]

It's been in the news today. Monkey Pox or M pox is spreading they have found a case in Sweden now and hinted it could spread more.
Anyone worried or is it scare mongering.

It seems to be in the news again?😪

WHO have graded it a global health emergency based on its prevalence in impoverished and developing countries, which make up a large proportion of the world. They don't have the access to vaccines and healthcare thar we do and so it is right to declare it an emergency.

It's a disease that is spread by very close contact, sexual, touching, or directly breathing in someone else's air in very close proximity. There will inevitably be cases in the UK and developed world, but it's nowhere near as virulent as Covid. I worry for those in poorer countries though, because that's where the pain will be felt worse.

I think it is medium concerning.

It isn’t that transmissible, but Clade 1b is one of the more transmissible strains.

The next question is how likely is it to mutate. It isn’t a retrovirus, so won’t mutate nearly as quickly as Covid, but it will still mutate, and it is closely related to smallbox, one of the most transmissible and deadly viruses of all time.

So, I am a little concerned. However, hopefully, we can get the virus under control in Africa, and ramp up vaccine production in plenty of time.

Does anyone know whether having had the smallpox vaccination confers any protection to Mpox?

@Rummly ,

Yes, good protection.

Thank you.

Even after many decades?

Sadly, twas ever thus. The kids in DRC have long had a great many problems that nobody cares about. Just as nobody cared about ebola, HIV etc until it started affecting us. It isn't right, but it's human nature.

I can only think that you don't know many people . Do you also not know anyone with children who attend school, or who travel on public transport?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022–2023_mpox_outbreak

I really hope there isn't an outbreak as I'm on strong immunosuppressants and therefore more vulnerable to viruses. However I'm avoiding reading about it as I can't alter anything right now, other than my own stress levels.

I’m moderately worried. This variant seems to be spreading by proximity and non-sexual contact, the WHO has declared it whatever the status Covid had in January 2020 - internationally significant, not just developing countries significant - and the mortality rate is horrific.

It is a bit concerning considering Covid was originally quite contained, apparently anyway, then quickly escalated.

I was very nonchalant about Covid right up to early March 2020 and was shocked how that enfolded so suppose I do take a bit more interest in these kind of things now.

No but on the otherhand it does remind me of covid being in the background in December 2019 ish and me not paying much attention to it.

We had clients in Italy and I couldn’t believe how casual the uk government was about it all. My business went fully remote and asked staff not to meet each other a month before the UK government based on the reports we were getting from Turin. I suppose I’m more alert to mpox as a result. But trying not to panic.

They said the same last year and it tends to be mainly african men transferring it to each other so unless your a man sleeping with another man its unlikely.

I’m on the vulnerable list solely due to a pretty bad time with covid - which I never expected since I’m healthy, normal weight, active etc - so while I get that it’s a sensible response to not be worried, yes I am due to my own facts. It’s a difficult question to answer therefore, because it depends. I think the U.K. needs to give a response as to how they would deal with it, which would help assuage worry - otherwise it could skyrocket (filling the vacuum). I bumped into an old friend today who sailed through Covid and 10 minutes in she said “we don’t want to get MP do we”. It was top news on the BBC….

I’m concerned that so many impoverished people in some African countries are suffering terribly with it and they don’t have sufficient vaccine. I’m not worried about it becoming a big problem here. It is transmitted through sex, lying in bedding that someone with the disease has laid in and from droplets from coughs and sneezes. People can make responsible choices about their sexual practices, whose bedding they sleep in and surely if we’ve learned anything from Covid, it’s to keep some distance from people when out and about. We can also choose to wear a make in crowded places.

It does, but there is not enough vaccine available for the people who really need it in Africa, so it should surely go there.

No.

If the small pox vaccine is somewhat effective, can I suggest you all book weekend breaks to cow country and get up close and personal with all the bovines you meet !

No, I'm not worried. I live in a quiet part of Britain - we barely seemed to have much covid - by the time it gets to us we'll probably have a vaccine

🤣🤣🤣 i sooo get that!

Where is this fantastic place??

wales???

Differentstarts · Yesterday 23:00
MrsSkylerWhite · Yesterday 22:36
No. From NHS website:

”Mpox is usually mild and most people recover within a few weeks without treatment”
**
Thank you my health anxiety can't handle stuff like this so rational people help”

The NHS website is always my first stop. Covers just about everything you can think of. Also links to further, credible sources sometimes, specialist organisations/charities that can help, etc.

Given that the World Health Organisation didn't even know about Covid until December 31st 2019, I think your memory may be deceiving you!

No but I said Covid wasn’t a big deal 3 days before we were locked down sooooo.