Milwaukee Opens Additional Monkeypox Vaccine Appointments

MILWAUKEE, WI — Additional monkeypox vaccines are now available in Milwaukee by appointment at a drive-thru clinic this week, the Milwaukee Health Department announced Tuesday.

The agency said it opened 800 total appointments for eligible people. Appointments will take place at the Menomonee Valley Drive-Thru Clinic at 2401 West St Paul Avenue. The first case of monkeypox was detected in Milwaukee in July. At that point, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson said more cases could be expected.

SEE ALSO: First Monkeypox Case Identified In A Milwaukee Resident

The health department said Jynneos vaccine appointments are available during these times to people over 18 who meet certain criteria:

• Tuesday: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Wednesday: 12 – 6 p.m.
• Thursday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Friday: 12 – 6 p.m.

People must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible, the health department said:

• "People who had skin-to-skin contact with an individual diagnosed with monkeypox in the past 14 days."
• "People who attended an event or venue where there was known monkeypox exposure in the past 14 days."
• "Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, trans women, and those who have had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days."

To make an appointment for Milwaukee's monkeypox vaccine clinic, visit the city's website.

The disease is rare, and rarely fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it can pose higher risks to people under 8 years old, those with weakened immune systems, people with a history of eczema and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, according to the CDC.

Public health officials have sought to make people aware of the signs and symptoms of monkeypox, and who should receive a vaccine. In recent cases in the U.S., the virus has been characterized by unexplained rashes and skin lesions. At times, those rashes can occur in similar areas of the body as syphilis or herpes, and the diseases may be hard to tell apart, the health department has said.

Other early symptoms include fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes, the health department said. The disease can be spread to anyone through close, often skin-to-skin contact. It is primarily spread through direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs or body fluids. The disease can also spread through sex, the health department said. Touching objects, fabrics and surfaces that have also been touched by someone with monkeypox can also spread the disease.

More information about monkeypox is available on the CDC's website on the disease.

SEE ALSO:

Monkeypox: How Widespread Is It In Wisconsin?

Feds Allocate WI Enough Monkeypox Vaccines For 743 People: DHS

First Monkeypox Case Identified In Wisconsin, Risk Remains Low: DHS