Health officials of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services have received a limited number of monkeypox vaccine doses, the county government announced on Wednesday. The supply will only be offered to residents that are at the highest risk.
Residents who are eligible for the vaccine include those who are identified by public health officials as close contacts of current monkeypox cases, according to the county government.
“Public health staff from the County’s sexual health programs will be working with community-based non-profit organizations to identify residents who could be at risk and are contacting them directly to offer an opportunity to be vaccinated,” the county government stated. “As vaccine supply increases, additional residents who are at-risk will be identified and offered vaccination.”
“At-risk” residents include:
–Known contacts who are identified by public health via a case investigation, contact tracing and risk exposure assignments
–Those that have a sexual partner who – in the past two weeks – was diagnosed with monkeypox
–Those who have had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks in a jurisdiction with known monkeypox
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and rash and lesions on the skin. According to the county government, the illness can last two to four weeks.
Monkeypox is spread through direct contact with an infectious rash, scabs or bodily fluids. It can also be contracted by touching items such as clothing or linens that were in contact with the rash or bodily fluids of an infected person. Those who do not have symptoms are not contagious.
“The risk of monkeypox in the United States is believed to be low,” the county government stated. “Monkeypox does not spread easily between people, and the time between exposure and when symptoms start give public health officials time to track down contacts and break the chain of infection.”
Those who believe they have been exposed to monkeypox – or feel that they are in a high-risk group – are asked to contact a health care provider. Residents can also call the Disease Control Program: 240-777-1755 or Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) clinic: 240-777-1751.
“People who believe they have been exposed to monkeypox should avoid close contact with others until a health care provider examines them and provides testing for the monkeypox virus,” the county government stated. “[People who believe they have been exposed] should avoid close contact with pets or other animals until they are examined and tested.”
According to the CDC, those who test positive for monkeypox should “stay isolated until the rash has healed, all scabs have fallen off and a fresh layer of intact skin has formed.”
More information regarding monkeypox can be found on the Department of Health and Human Services website.
DHHS has received a limited number of monkeypox vaccine doses. The supply is very limited & the County, per MD Dept. of Health guidance, will only offer vaccinations to a limited number of eligible residents at highest risk.
Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/RUg53AhdJU pic.twitter.com/78rlKklf52
— Montgomery County DHHS (@MoCoDHHS) July 20, 2022
