Will my childhood smallpox vaccination protect against monkeypox?


By AGENCY

Because the monkeypox and smallpox viruses are closely related, a recent smallpox vaccination (within the last three years) has an 85% effectiveness in protecting against monkeypox. — TNS

In the United States, health officials are scrambling to stretch scarce doses of vaccine to slow the mounting monkeypox outbreak, but do older people already vaccinated as kids for the related, but deadlier, smallpox virus already have protection?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isn’t betting on it.

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