Smallpox was the first (and only) disease ever eradicated by humankind. The virus isn't extinct but its "life" is limited to laboratories. So here comes monkeypox, a potentially serious close relative to smallpox. How close? Those of us sufficiently ancient to have received the "cowpox" vaccine still have some protection against smallpox and it appears against monkeypox as well. According to researchers at the University of Minnesota, the old vaccine gives remarkably long term protection from serious disease. Once again, I managed to be born at the exact right time.
Great. I may have, too. I had the old-fashioned smallpox vaccination in 1952 and IIRC again in 1956. Nosborne, does this mean I'm protected against monkeypox - which, I add, I never heard of before today?
I don't know if the medical researchers have arrived at an opinion yet. It's clear that a recent smallpox vaccination offers protection against severe monkeypox disease. It also seems, according to the UM group, that even very old vaccinations still offer significant protection against smallpox. Whether the logical conclusion is correct I don't think they know yet. Or at least the UM people didn't say so.
