Is Barbados ready to respond and treat patients in the event of a monkeypox outbreak on the island?
That was the question put to the Director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus on the CBC TV 8’s Morning Report show.
Dr Kirk Douglas says the university did studies on another poxvirus, cowpox, some three years ago and is in a position to use its research data.
He is also of the view the island now has the infrastructure and facilities to handle those who contract this pox virus.
Dr Douglas explains Barbados and the world are now exposed to the family of orthopoxviruses like monkeypox, smallpox and cowpox.
That is linked to the diminishing level of immunity in the global population to poxviruses after vaccination for smallpox ended 40 years ago, when the World Health Organisation declared it was eradicated.
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