Monkeypox Vaccine Clinic To Open In Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — The first monkeypox vaccine clinic will open in Union County next week, according to an announcement from the Board of County Commissioners.

Union County’s Office of Health Management is hosting the clinic at the Warinanco Sports Center, located at 1 Park Drive in Roselle, beginning Wednesday, Sep. 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

As of mid-August, Union County has had a total of 55 reported monkeypox cases, according to the Board of Commissioners.

At the clinic, the Union County Office of Health Management will administer the Jynneos vaccine to eligible and high-risk residents ages 1-17 and 18 years and older. A limited supply was allocated by the NJ Department of Health.

The Jynneos vaccine is a two-dose series, given 28 days apart. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends receiving both doses of the vaccine, as the level of protection for one dose is unknown. Residents who have been vaccinated against monkeypox by the Union County Office of Health Management will automatically be scheduled for a second dose appointment.

Below is the schedule for appointments at the new clinic:

First Dose Appointments:

• September 14, 2022: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• September 15, 2022: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• September 16, 2022: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Second Dose Appointments:

• October 12, 2022: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• October 13, 2022: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• October 14, 2022: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Those who are eligible for a vaccine include those who attended an event where known monkeypox (HMPVX) exposure happened within the past 14 days and/or had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days in areas where monkeypox (hMPXV) has been reported. People who are at continued risk for exposure to monkeypox at their occupation are also eligible.

Appointments can be scheduled at https://ucnj.org/monkeypox/ until all available slots are filled.

Residents can click that link and follow the prompts to make an appointment for your monkeypox vaccination. Select ‘Jynneos 1-17’ or ‘Jynneos 18+’ from the drop-down menu.

What Is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox, which was discovered in 1958, can spread person-to-person through respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling or sex, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But it can also be spread through:

• direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids
• touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
• pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta

The disease has symptoms are similar to smallpox, but milder. Monkeypox is rarely fatal, the CDC says.

Symptoms of the disease include a rash that can look like pimples or blisters, as well as flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, headache, body aches, chills, feeling very tired, etc.

While public health experts say the risk of monkeypox is not limited to gay or bisexual men, some of the cases reported so far have been clustered around men who have sex with men.

However, LGBTQ+ advocates have questioned the messaging surrounding monkeypox, particularly involving the gay community, where the virus showed up early and created a new wave of stigma for a population that has been scapegoated during similar public health scares in the past.

According to GLAAD —one of the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer media advocacy organizations —a person's sexual orientation or gender identity does not put them at higher risk for infection; close contact to an infected person is what puts them at a greater risk of infection.

Read more: NJ Councilman Worries About Monkeypox Impact On Gay Community

Monkeypox can also spread through touching things or surfaces, especially clothes, bedding, and towels that have been used by someone with monkeypox and not disinfected.

According to the Health Department, symptoms typically start within three weeks of being exposed to the virus. If you start having flu-like symptoms, a rash will usually come 1-4 days later.

The rash can be on the face, inside the mouth, chest, hands, feet, genitals, or anus and starts as small, reddish spots. It then develops into blisters that fill with pus (liquid from infected tissue), according the Health Department.

Union County residents may also call the County of Union Vaccination hotline if they need assistance in making and managing appointments at 908-613-7VAX (7829).

This article features reporting from Patch editor Eric Kiefer.

Have a news tip? Email remy.samuels@patch.com.