Government urged to bring in targeted vaccines for those at most risk from gonorrhea and monkeypox
news.sky.comvaccination programme to prevent gonorrhoea in England "would be a world first and should significantly help to reduce levels of gonorrhoea, which are currently at a record high".He added: "In addition, we are advising setting up a routine targeted mpox [monkeypox] offer - to prevent a repeat of the large outbreak we saw in early 2022.
Both vaccinations should be offered to those at highest risk."The JCVI also advised that their recommended vaccination programme against gonorrhoea should primarily target gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, who have the highest rates of the disease.It comes as sexually transmitted infection (STI) figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that 2022 saw gonorrhoea diagnoses increase by 50.3% from 2021, with 82,592 cases.And in March, it was reported the number of gonorrhoea cases in the UK last year rose by more than a fifth on pre-pandemic levels. Celebrities accuse Rishi Sunak of 'callous disregard' over conversion therapy ban delay Church of England admits same-sex couple blessing services unlikely before 2025 India's Supreme Court refuses to legalise same-sex marriage Be the first to get Breaking NewsInstall the Sky News app for freeGreg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, told Sky News: "The recent rise in sexually transmitting infections such as gonorrhoea is very concerning and today's recommendation from the JCVI is undoubtedly a sensible course of action."The rise in numbers is however, in part, a result of more people visiting clinics and other diagnostic services to be tested and, as a result of this increase, the demand on sexual health services has never been higher."As we said in June, we are concerned that the current levels of funding for sexual health services, which are provided for in England by the Public Health Grant, cannot meet this increase in demand."Any new vaccination programme would therefore need to be planned with this in mind and backed with.
