Abstract

In April 2022, a Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization Working Group on smallpox and monkeypox vaccines was established to advise the World Health Organization (WHO) on the use of smallpox vaccines and update the 2013 recommendations on smallpox vaccines.

In May 2022, a multi-country outbreak of monkeypox began and rapidly spread around the world. In response to the 2022 monkeypox multicounty outbreak, an interim guidance on vaccines and immunization for monkeypox was published on 24 June 2022 and updated on the 24th of August.

This background document has been prepared by the SAGE working group on smallpox and monkeypox vaccines to inform the discussions of SAGE at its 3-7 October 2022 meeting.

  • SAGE background document
  • Mpox