Monkeypox Vaccine Available To Montgomery County Residents

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — County health officials have received a limited number of monkeypox vaccine doses that will be offered to a limited number of residents who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus.

According to the county, as the vaccine supply increases, additional residents who are deemed at risk will be identified and offered the vaccination. With guidance from the Maryland Department of Health, residents identified by public health officials as close contacts of current monkeypox cases will be offered the vaccine as will others who could be at risk of contracting the virus.

Currently, monkeypox vaccinations will be limited to:

• Known contacts who are identified by public health via case investigation, contact tracing and risk exposure assessments.
• Presumed contacts who may meet the following criteria:
  • Know that a sexual partner in the past 14 days was diagnosed with monkeypox.
  • Had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days in a jurisdiction with known monkeypox.

The risk of monkeypox in the United States is believed to be low and monkeypox does not spread easily between people. The time between exposure and when symptoms begin give public health officials time to track down contacts and break the chain of infection, the county health department shared.

People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others. Monkeypox is a rare disease and can be spread by:

• Direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs or bodily fluids.
• Respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact or during intimate physical contact.
• Touching items such as clothing or linens that previously touched the rash or body fluids of an infected person.
• Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.

Symptoms often include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash and lesions on the skin.

Residents who believe that they have been exposed to monkeypox should contact their health care provider or a community provider such as an urgent care center. Those without a health care provider can also call the Disease Control Program at 240-777-1755. People who believe they are in a high-risk group and meet the above criteria for vaccination can contact their health care provider or the sexually transmitted infection clinic at 240-777-1751.