Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many individuals will be eligible for the Imvanex smallpox vaccine to protect against monkeypox infection.

On 21 June 2022, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published a targeted vaccine strategy which recommends that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men at higher risk of exposure to monkeypox should be offered the vaccine, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/monkeypox-outbreak-vaccination-strategy

The UKHSA anticipates that the number of people in this cohort will be in the tens of thousands. Vaccines are also being offered to healthcare workers at the highest risk of exposure, including those who care for patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox in High Consequence Infectious Disease units and sexual health centres and staff regularly undertaking environmental decontamination. While post-exposure vaccination is also recommended in specific circumstances, these individuals will be identified and contacted directly.