South east London’s health and care system is continuing work to vaccinate those identified as most at risk. You can read more about the background to the global outbreak of mpox and the approach to vaccinating people in the Frequently Asked Questions section below. In total around 10,000 people have received vaccinations to help protect them against mpox in south east London.
We are now starting to provide second doses to people who have already received vaccination to help protect against mpox. This follows the UKHSA announcement of further mpox vaccines availability in September.
The NHS will contact people directly who have had a first dose to come forward for their second vaccine. You will be contacted two to three months after your first vaccination to book an appointment for a second dose. You will not need to attend the same clinic as for your first vaccination.
Second dose vaccines will be delivered via the main mpox vaccination clinic sites, in particular at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and also at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.
We continue to focus on getting first doses to people in the high risk groups who have not been vaccinated.
If you are in a high risk group and have not had any vaccination against mpox please contact the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust vaccines clinic service:
0207 188 4040 or covidvaccinebookings@gstt.nhs.uk to arrange a vaccination.
These processes follow the guidance provided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The latest statement on vaccine dose prioritisation in response to the mpox outbreak can be read here.
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information. The JCVI has also published its latest Technical Briefing.
Updated: 20 October 2022
The most effective way to protect yourself from mpox is to get vaccinated.
A smallpox (Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)) vaccination is being offered to people who are most at risk. To offer as wide-scale community protection as possible only one dose of the vaccine is currently being offered to those eligible. It is expected that second doses will be offered when possible.
The vaccination does not guarantee protection against mpox, but it is effective at reducing the likelihood of symptomatic infection and severe illness.
It is important to remain vigilant to mpox symptoms even when vaccinated.
More information on the vaccine can be found in the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) mpox Vaccination Strategy: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/monkeypox-outbreak-vaccination-strategy
The MVA vaccine has primarily been either a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection – this means below the skin or into the muscle. However, there is evidence that administering the vaccine between the layers of skin offers the same protection with a lower dose.
On 22 August 2022, UKHSA announced a pilot scheme offering intradermal administration of the vaccine. The safe and clinical approach, also known as ‘fractional dosing’, involves injecting a lower quantity of the vaccine at an angle into the skin which offers the same level of protection.
Following this successful pilot, UKHSA has confirmed that intradermal vaccination will now become the usual method and this will be implemented at south east London mpox vaccination clinics. This is the same technique used to administer the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis (TB).
As we start to rollout second doses of the vaccine, initially at the clinic hosted by Guy’s and St Thomas’, we are using intradermal vaccination in south east London.
The NHS will call forward those that are eligible for vaccination. Second doses will be offered from around 2 to 3 months after the first dose to maximise protection.
The groups currently being offered vaccination based on UKHSA guidance are:
If you are in a high risk group and have not had any vaccination against mpox please contact the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust vaccines clinic service: 0207 188 4040 or covidvaccinebookings@gstt.nhs.uk to arrange a vaccination.
If you have received a first dose, the NHS will contact you directly to arrange a second dose of the vaccination, two to three months after your initial vaccination.
If you have received a first dose, the NHS will contact you directly to arrange a further vaccination as set out above.
If you have a scheduled vaccination appointment you should still attend, unless told otherwise.
Post-exposure vaccination is only being reserved for those close contacts who are at highest risk of severe illness – people with immunosuppression, children under the age of 5 years and pregnant women.
The current mpox outbreak is global and cases have been identified in over 85 countries. In response, there has been a sudden global demand for the smallpox vaccination.
Furthermore, the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. As a result, manufactures of the smallpox vaccine are not equipped to rapidly increase production at such short notice. The UKHSA have overseen the procurement of the vaccine for the UK.
The current process distributes vaccine to those most at risk of transmitting mpox.
NHS trusts have identified those who meet this criterion and will contact individuals by text and/or telephone to book an appointment for their vaccination.
If you have received a first vaccination, please wait to be contacted by the NHS for your second dose vaccination appointment. This will be two to three months after your first dose. You will not need to attend the same clinic for your second dose.
If you have received a first vaccination, please wait to be contacted for your next (second dose) vaccination appointment.
If you are in one of the following groups and have not had a first dose vaccination please contact the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust vaccines clinic service: 0207 188 4040 or covidvaccinebookings@gstt.nhs.uk to arrange a vaccination.
The UKHSA currently recommends the vaccine is offered to these groups first:
More information on the vaccination priority groups and roll out can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monkeypox-vaccination-resources/monkeypox-waiting-for-your-vaccination
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)’s statement on vaccine dose prioritisation in response to the mpox outbreak can be read here.
Whilst the best protection is getting vaccinated, there are risk reduction behaviours which can be adopted until the vaccine supply increases.
By adopting the suggestions below, on their own or in combination (recommended), you will reduce the likelihood of getting mpox. The suggestions should be considered based on which best suit your lifestyle and need.
Mpox was previously known as monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the change in name in November 2022 after complaints over racist and stigmatising language linked to the virus’s name.
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