STD

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Monkeypox are strictly speaking not an STD.

You can get infected through:

  • Contact with bodily fluids, such as wound fluids
  • Contact with mucous membranes and saliva droplets
  • Contaminated surfaces or linen (such as bedding or towels)

What do the symptoms look like?

The following symptoms appear about 5 to 21 days after infection:

  • General unwellness
  • Fever
  • Muscle ache
  • Headache

This is followed by skin lesions: (red) spots, pimples, blisters or festering lumps, which then crust before healing. These skin lesions can be spread all over the body.

More information on what the skin lesions look like can be found on the info page of the Institute of Tropical Medicine.

Were you at risk? 

Have you been in close contact with an infected person, or if you are developing symptoms, read the frequently asked questions on Monkeypox on the website of the ITM to know what to do.

Categories EN

Vaccine

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There are two smallpox vaccines that also work agains Monkeypox: Imvanex and Jynneos.

Belgium currently has a limited supply (3040 doses). Those are zijn twee vaccins op de markt die werken tegen apenpokken: Imvanex en Jynneos.

België heeft momenteel een beperkt aantal vaccins ter beschikking (3040 doses). Four at-risk groups have been identified to receive these first doses:

  • men who have sex with other men, are HIV-positive or on PrEP and who have had at least two sexually transmitted diseases during the past last year
  • male sex workers and transgender sex workers
  • people with immune system disorders
  • laboratory personnel that work in labs that cultivate the virus

In total around 2,000 people fall into these groups. Most receive a first dose of the monkeypox vaccine before August 19, and a second dose when the order for additional vaccines (30.000 doses) arrives in the autumn.

However, people with immune system conditions will receive their second dose 28 days after the first. The monkeypox vaccines will be administered at 9 designated centres across the country. People who qualify should receive an invitation, for instance from their HIV reference center.

Vaccination in France

France has a much larger stock of vaccines at its disposal. It is possible to get vaccinated (for free) in France, even when living in Belgium.


In Tourcoing you can make an appointment at the “Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing” via: https://www.doctolib.fr/hopital-public/tourcoing/ch-tourcoing?highlight%5Bspeciality_ids%5D%5B%5D=9495&pid=practice-318068

In Lille you can get vaccintated at CeGIDD:
CeGIDD de Lille
8 rue de Valmy
59000 Lille
+33 3 59 73 69 80
sps-lilleconsultation@lenord.fr

For other locations, follow the link “Lieux de vaccination” at the French Monkeypox Info Service website.