FDA Approves New Smallpox, Monkeypox Vaccine: What Is It For?
▻https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2019/09/25/fda-approves-new-smallpox-monkeypox-vaccine-what-is-it-for
[...] smallpox could always return from a more unfortunate accident or the use of the virus for bioterrrorism, as I have described previously for Forbes. There is even concern that climate change will eventually reveal smallpox virus that has so far remained frozen in colder climes. [...] at least 2 generations of people have developed no immunity to smallpox. A return of the virus could mean rapid spread across a sea of smallpox virgins, so to speak.
That’s why government agencies like the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) continue to support the development of new ways to prevent and treat smallpox. Even though smallpox was successfully eradicated, major gaps remain in smallpox prevention and treatment. The major gap in treatment has been a lack of treatments, at least, until last year. That’s when the FDA approved TPOXX, the first real treatment for smallpox, an approval that I covered for Forbes.
Then there are the limitations of the long-used smallpox vaccines. These vaccines have contained live versions of the vaccinia virus, which is nowhere near as dangerous as the variola virus but still on some occasions can cause problems. [...]
The Jynneos vaccine does include the vaccinia virus, but it’s a modified version. This version is called the Modified Vaccinia Ankara and apparently “does not cause disease in humans and is non-replicating, meaning it cannot reproduce in human cells,” according to the FDA announcement. That means compared to the traditional smallpox vaccine, this new vaccine poses less risk and can be administered to a wider range of people.