The Victorian Department of Health has advised that there have been recent cases of new, locally acquired cases of mpox (monkeypox) in Victoria and there is an ongoing risk of mpox in Victoria from both local and overseas transmission. Vaccination is the key measure to reduce the spread and protect people from mpox. The Department of Health encourages all immunisation providers to promote vaccination.
Offer JYNNEOS® pre-exposure vaccination to:
- All sexually active gay and bisexual men (cis and trans)
- Sexual partners of the above
- Sex workers
- Healthcare workers at higher risk of exposure to patients with mpox (following risk assessment)
Promote optimal protection:
- 2 doses of JYNNEOS® vaccine given at least 4 weeks (28 days) apart are required for optimal protection.
- JYNNEOS® vaccine is preferably administered by the subcutaneous route.
- Refer to the Victorian Mpox (monkeypox) vaccination program guidelines for clinical guidance.
Identify due/overdue:
- Use your recall systems to target people who are yet to receive dose 2.
- There is no need to restart the course if the dose interval is longer than 4 weeks (28 days).
Promote vaccination:
- Check your stock of JYNNEOS® vaccine for impending expiry dates (due May and August 2024).
- Nurse immunisers and pharmacist immunisers must complete the Mpox (monkeypox) eLearning module prior to vaccination against mpox.
- Further details about mpox and vaccination can be found at Mpox (monkeypox) webpage.