So far there have been more than 2,600 cases of monkeypox in the UK, the majority of which affect gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men (GBMSM). The US on Thursday declared a public health emergency over the virus, following the World Health Organization (WHO) last month in declaring it a global emergency. UK health authorities have called for calm, but now groups in Westminster have called on Health Secretary Steve Barclay to take action over monkeypox “which is causing real fear and anxiety”. “We are united as LGBT+ groups from all political parties in calling on the Government to treat the monkeypox outbreak as a public health emergency,” a letter to Barclay signed by LGBTQ+ groups for the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberals Democrats, the Greens and the Scottish National Party. he said. “We cannot afford to allow monkeypox to become endemic in the UK. Fortunately, we have the tools needed to stop this outbreak and prevent further health risk now. We ask you to do so urgently.” The letter, which was also signed by sexual health charities including the Terrence Higgins Trust, said the government should prioritize communication and vaccination. “We need clear, non-stigmatizing messages delivered directly to the GBMSM about the symptoms of monkeypox and what to do if you suspect you have the virus to inform and reassure people (rather than the current spread-everyone approach that states continuously the GBMSM ),” said the authors, who include Tory Luke Black and Labour’s Matthew Lloyd. “Messaging needs to reach communities at high risk of getting monkeypox, through targeted messages in apps, online and in queer media. Vaccinating those most at risk of monkeypox must be a priority if we are to have any chance of preventing the virus from becoming endemic in the UK,” they added. “We are very concerned that while mass vaccination events are a great way to build confidence that vaccinations are being given, they can be a driver of inequality, especially when there is a shortage of jabs,” Lloyd said separately. “It is time to get improved systems and more purchases of this much-needed vaccine.” The Terrence Higgins Trust also called for improvements to the vaccination effort. The charity’s head of policy, Sherry Smith, said: “We need urgent political action to control the rapidly increasing number of smallpox cases in the UK. “That is why we are grateful to LGBT+ groups from across political parties who are coming together to call for a public health response that is commensurate with the scale of the problem, while gay and bisexual men continue to make up the vast majority of cases. “We need to see much better co-ordination, increased vaccine supply, improved delivery and an injection of cash into sexual health services to treat monkeypox that will also reverse the impact the epidemic is already having on STI testing and treatment, PrEP provision and contraceptive services”. The NHS announced late last month that it was ramping up its monkeypox vaccination program in London as more vaccine supplies became available. Vaccination experts have recommended that gay and bisexual men who are at higher risk of exposure to monkeypox be offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Thousands of monkeypox vaccines have already been given and the NHS is working to quickly invite those most at risk. We have procured more than 150,000 vaccines and are working with partners – including the NHS and the UK Health Organization – to share targeted, non-stigmatising communications with the LGBTQ+ community. “We are enabling local authorities to invest in essential frontline sexual health services by delivering more than £3.4 billion through public health funding.”
