As of September 9th, people can make reservations for monkeypox vaccination in Vienna, authorities announced. It is possible to register for the vaccine using the health service line by calling 1450 or via the Impfservice website.
The City of Vienna has said the pre-registration is needed because all planning will be done through a central system due to a shortage of vaccines.
🧵 Ab jetzt könnt ihr euch für die #Affenpocken-Impfung über das Gesundheitstelefon 1450 oder https://t.co/YWR49PAuau vormerken lassen. Impftermine sind ab 14.9. buchbar und die ersten Impfungen finden ab 19.9. statt. /1 pic.twitter.com/qSJ5nOKdyA
— Stadt Wien (@Stadt_Wien) September 9, 2022
“Please understand that due to the vaccine shortage, we cannot offer preventive monkeypox vaccination to everyone interested. We can use the reservation platform to quickly allocate available appointments and contact interested parties as soon as there are more vaccines”, the authorities said.
After the registration, people will be contacted to book appointments on September 14th. The first available date will be September 19th.
READ ALSO: Monkeypox in Austria: What causes it and is it serious?
Who should be vaccinated against monkeypox?
Vaccination of the general population is currently not recommended.
Preventive vaccination is only offered to health care workers with a very high risk of exposure to people with monkeypox (designated monkeypox departments/outpatient clinics/offices) and persons with individual risk behaviour (persons with frequently changing sexual contacts), the City of Vienna said.
The health authorities in Vienna also have a specific information sheet in English with more information on the disease.
Monkeypox is a notifiable disease caused by a virus closely related to the smallpox virus and which can cause a condition similar to smallpox but rarely deadly. People with immunodeficiencies, pregnant women and children are at risk of more severe symptoms.
The virus spreads from person to person through contact with infectious skin lesions, via air droplets through speaking, coughing, sneezing, or other body fluids, and when having prolonged and close physical contact, e.g. through sexual intercourse.
READ ALSO: Austria recommends 4th Covid vaccine dose for everyone over 12
Usually, the first symptoms show up 5 to 14 days (at the latest, 21 days) after exposure. These include fever, general exhaustion, headaches, muscle and body aches, gastrointestinal problems and frequently painfully swollen lymph nodes.
“If you have symptoms and have had contact with someone with monkeypox, you must self-isolate at once and call 1450. If you have a confirmed monkeypox infection, you need to stay in self-isolation until the last crust has fallen off”, the Austrian authorities added.
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