LONDON — British health authorities said they will begin offering eligible people just a fraction of the normal monkeypox vaccine dose to stretch supplies by about five times.
That's in line with similar decisions to maximize available doses in Europe and the U.S.
Britain’s Health Security Agency said Monday that eligible patients at clinics would soon get just one-fifth the regular monkeypox vaccine dose as part of ongoing research.
It cited earlier work suggesting the smaller dose provided as effective an immune response as a full dose.
A doctor said the move will allow Britain to vaccinate thousands more people.
Last week, British officials said there were early signs that the monkeypox outbreak is slowing.