– We have waited a long time for this. Other countries have already given vaccines to everyone who wanted it. Gay rights advocate Georg Luschgy, who is active in the fetish community in Norway, talks about a vaccine against monkeypox. Georg Luschgy is active in the fetish environment in Norway and was named Mr. Leather Norway 2022. Photo: Privat / Privat In August last year, he wrote a column for news ytring about how many people in the community wanted this vaccine, but that very few got it. According to a report from the WHO, from the beginning of January last year to the end of March this year, 86,724 cases of monkeypox were registered in the world. This includes 112 deaths. Until now, the vaccine against the infectious disease has only been given to a small part of the risk group. You had to be a man or trans person who was HIV positive, used PrEP, or be a man who sold sex to other men – because it is this group that has the greatest risk of becoming infected. Will be a low threshold But now it will be easier for more people to get the vaccine. You no longer have to be in the risk group as mentioned above. Now men or trans people who have sex with men, and who have what is called risk behaviour, and who have had syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia in the last 24 months can also get the vaccine. Risky behavior involves frequent partner changes, casual sex, group sex and chemsex. DIFFICULT TO GET: – When the monkeypox virus started to flare up in May, the USA, which is one of the producers, needed the vaccine for its own population, says Hauge. Photo: Roar Strøm You also don’t need to get a referral from a GP, says assistant municipal superintendent in Molde Marit Teigen Hauge. – Now it has become a low-threshold offer. You don’t need to involve a doctor at all, you can just contact the vaccination office in larger municipalities in your local area, says Teigen Hauge. It is important to use up the doses In Molde, they get access to the vaccines in mid-April, but Hauge says that several other larger municipalities are already in the process. – FHI has wanted large and medium-sized municipalities to also offer vaccination to people who live in smaller municipalities in the area. This is to ensure that the jars with the active ingredient are used up, says Hauge. Part of the reason why there have been so few who have been offered in the past is because the vaccine is a limited resource, you have few doses and it is time-consuming to make, according to Hauge. – That is why it is also important that we use up all the doses that are in a glass, she says. Secretary General of HivNorge Anne-Karin Kolstad is happy that the vaccine is becoming more available, but she wishes it were free. Photo: HivNorge Worked a long time for it It was in May last year that the outbreak of monkeypox started in Europe and other parts of the world. Secretary General of HivNorge, Anne-Karin Kolstad, says that they have worked to make the vaccine more available in Norway. – We thought the authorities had a very slow response, but we are happy that we are starting to vaccinate more groups now. Last year, 94 cases of the disease were registered in Norway, while this year so far only one has been registered. Kolstad nevertheless says that vaccination is important, since this is a disease that can return. – Means a lot to us Luschgy sees several advantages in the vaccines now becoming more available. – In several countries, we get questions from people about whether we have a vaccine against monkeypox. When we say no, they go away. They don’t want to talk to us. POSITIVE: Luschgy says it is very good that you can now book an appointment for the vaccine yourself. Photo: Privat / Privat In addition, he believes many people will appreciate the fact that you don’t have to go to the doctor to get a referral. – Several people found it uncomfortable to have to answer questions about HIV and other things, but now everyone can get vaccines without these questions, he says. – This means a lot to us, he concludes.
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Monkeypox vaccine in demand – now it’s coming
