The Department of Health on Friday warned the public against availing of supposedly “imported” Mpox vaccines that were not approved by the DOH and the Food and Drug Administration.
“It has come to the attention of the Department of Health that there may be organizations or individuals offering supposed Mpox vaccines ‘imported’ from abroad. The public is cautioned against availing such vaccines,” the DOH said in a social media post.
DOH stated that the said “imported” vaccine is not guaranteed safe nor effective as it does not have DOH-FDA safeguards.
The Health department advised the public to get Mpox vaccine doses in the country once it is legally available.
Earlier, the DOH clarified it is not recommending any particular sexual methodology to avoid contracting the virus as the number of active mpox cases rose to 14 in the country.
“The DOH does not endorse any methodology of sex. They are free to do whatever they want,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said.
“It came from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). When I read the original document, it is in the whole document that states what people should do if their partners are positive. So, it is not a general recommendation to the public,” Herbosa explained in a mix of English and Filipino.
The Health Department added it was collaborating with key people and influencers to spread awareness and fight misinformation against Mpox.
Herbosa assured the public the number of cases does not require the implementation of community quarantine or border controls.
All 14 active cases are Mpox Clade II – the milder variant of Mpox – and are recovering at home, according to the DOH.
Unlike COVID-19 which is airborne, Mpox Clade II is transmitted by close and intimate, skin-to-skin contact and through objects touched by patients with active skin lesions.
The department also explained that Mpox is a self-limiting virus which heals and cures overtime with proper care and treatment.
