Two scientific committees under the Centre for Health Protection on Friday said men who have sex with men should be among those prioritised for the monkeypox vaccine in Hong Kong.

The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases (JSC) pointed out that the latest global epidemiology of monkeypox showed the dominant affected group was men having sex with men who have multiple sexual partners.

“The JSC considered individuals at high risk of exposure, importantly but not exclusively gay, bisexual and other MSM with certain high-risk sexual practices or history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months, should be included as a target group for pre-exposure vaccination against monkeypox with the highest priority on a voluntary basis,” a government statement wrote.

The experts added that other target groups for pre-exposure vaccination could also include such as sex workers, participants in group sex or persons having multiple sexual partners, healthcare workers who take care of monkeypox patients, as well as laboratory personnel.

The committees stressed that vaccination should be given on a voluntary basis, adding that post-exposure vaccine should only be offered to people under the age of 18 in emergency situations.

Earlier this month, the government said it hopes to get hold of a vaccine against monkeypox by the end of the month as part of preparations for any future outbreak here.