Politics & Government
State Says It Has 'Very Limited' Supply Of Monkeypox Vaccine
The state has received 787 doses of vaccine and is expecting 680 more in the next few months, according to a NH DHHS spokeswoman.
While the number of confirmed monkeypox cases in New Hampshire grows but remains low at 15, the Department of Health and Human Services says the state has a very limited supply of vaccines.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s tracker, New Hampshire is one of about 20 states with 15 or fewer confirmed cases. Maine has reported two, Vermont 1.
Find out what's happening in Across New Hampshirefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The vaccination requires two doses, and Health and Human Services spokeswoman Laura Montenegro said the state’s supply is very limited. The state has received 787 doses of vaccine and is expecting 680 more in the next few months, she said
Once those arrive, the state intends to vaccinate people with known exposure and make it available to higher-risk populations, she said. That group is primarily men who have sex with men, a population that has accounted for 98 percent of cases, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Find out what's happening in Across New Hampshirefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Health and Human Services has created a website with updates on available vaccine doses, answers to frequently asked questions, and resources for more information.
Monkeypox is rare and does not spread easily between people without close contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from an infected person. The threat of monkeypox to the general U.S. population remains low, according to the website.
The department urges people to contact their physician with questions about the disease but is also taking general questions by email at monkeypox@dhhs.nh.gov.
Dartmouth Health is also answering general questions about monkeypox via a new hotline: 603-650-1818. Calls are answered 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
Dartmouth Health is advising people who believe they’ve come into contact with or contracted monkeypox to isolate at home and call their primary care provider. Visiting an emergency department immediately is not recommended.
The New Hampshire Bulletin, the Granite State's newest independent, nonprofit news organization, delivers accountability reporting on New Hampshire politics and policies. The New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.
