What are the risks of smallpox vaccine compared to the risks of monkeypox disease?
For most persons who have been exposed to monkeypox, the risks from monkeypox disease are greater than the risks from the smallpox vaccine. Monkeypox is a serious disease. It causes fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, a general feeling of discomfort, exhaustion, and severe rash. Studies of monkeypox in West Africa—where people live in remote areas and are medically underserved—showed that the disease killed 1%to 10% of people infected. In contrast, most people who get the smallpox vaccine have only expected minor reactions, like mild fever, tiredness, swollen glands, and redness and itching at the place where the vaccine is given. However the smallpox vaccine does have more serious risks too. Based on past experience, it is estimated that between 1 and 2 people out of every 1 million people vaccinated will die as a result of life-threatening reactions to the vaccine. I have had the smallpox vaccine, should I get it again? If you have been exposed to the monkey
