Do you know if you have been vaccinated against the disease? This mark on the arm tells you if it is protected

Monkeypox has spread to several countries, not only on the European continent, and it is important to distinguish a small mark on the arm, for those born before 1970, which appears as a reminder of the smallpox vaccine that would protect them today from the last infection. continued. Doctor and nutritionist Boticaria García, in remarks on the Spanish program “Espejo Publico”, taught viewers to differentiate between a brand of smallpox vaccine and a brand of a tuberculosis vaccine.

He began by recalling, “People who have been vaccinated against smallpox have a scar on the upper arm.” “These vaccines were given over a similar period of time,” says Boticaria, explaining why the vaccines have been confused.

“Those between the ages of 40 and 50 have already been vaccinated.”

“The mark that tuberculosis leaves is is round, and a little smaller and higher. It looks like a small mountain, it has a relief on the outside. When you pass your finger, it feels relief,” Garcia says. inside, but it’s sunken with a scar on top,” he noted.

“Why does this sign appear with these vaccines and not with others?” , asked one of the presenters. “It is through the route of administration. In most vaccines, the route of administration is between the muscles, and in this case, it is applied under the skin, so there is inflammation in the superficial part of the skin,” Garcia said, giving the Spanish example.

“The tuberculosis vaccine was discontinued in Spain in the 1970s, as was the smallpox vaccine, but with exceptions. In the case of tuberculosis, it was used until 2013 in the Basque Country, while everyone born before 1970 had smallpox. What changed between the 1970s and 1980s. , because there was a difference between societies, and, starting in the eighties, its use was completely discontinued, ”explains the specialist. Therefore, “people between the ages of 40 and 50 have already been vaccinated, so confirmed cases of monkeypox occur in people with an average age of 35.”