North Carolina, Raleigh – As monkeypox continues to spread in the state, Wake County health officials will hold a vaccination event this Saturday, August 6, in the city of Raleigh.
Because the vaccine is limited, Wake County Public Health (WCPH) indicates that the doses will be provided only to people over the age of 18 who meet certain eligibility requirements.
“We are listening to residents who are eager to get vaccinated, so our team has moved quickly to hold this event at no cost to meet demand,” said Sig Hutchinson, chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Hutchinson said that it is not necessary to make an appointment in order to remove any barriers to access, just arrive at the event location and meet the eligibility requirements.
“We invite those who are eligible to simply walk into our facility on Saturday and receive the vaccine,” the commissioner noted.
550 doses available
The WCPH indicated that there is an availability of 550 doses that will be distributed until they run out.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported that as of Thursday, August 4, there were 86 reported cases of monkeypox in the state. In Wake County when the first case was reported on July 6, there are now 9 cases.
Nationwide, 7,104 confirmed cases were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 4.
Who can receive the vaccine
- People who have been in close physical contact with someone diagnosed with monkeypox in the last 14 days (post-exposure prophylaxis or PEMen who have sex with men, or transgender people, who report any of the following in the last 90 days :
- Having multiple or anonymous sexual partners
- Individuals diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection
- Receive HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP
People to be vaccinated will have a brief evaluation before the vaccine is given.
Due to the nature of the walk-in event and the need for an initial evaluation, individuals should consider waiting to be seen.
Should consider:
That attendees must wear masks at all times while in the Public Health Center.
what are the symptoms
Monkeypox is a rare and potentially serious viral disease, usually with flu-like symptoms. Symptoms of monkeypox can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and back pain
- swollen lymph nodes
- Shaking chills
- Exhaustion
A rash that may look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body such as the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
The disease can be confused with a sexually transmitted infection such as syphilis or herpes, or with the chickenpox virus.
Most infections last two to four weeks.
How to prevent this virus
Some of the ways to prevent and avoid the spread of monkeypox include:
Know the symptoms and risk factors of the virus
Avoid skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash or skin sores, especially if they have a confirmed case of monkeypox.
Be aware in known areas of spread, engaging in close, personal, skin-to-skin contact activities may pose a higher risk of exposure.
If you have been recently exposed to the virus, you should contact a doctor or nurse to find out if the vaccine is needed to prevent illness.
Monitor health for fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, and a new, unexplained rash.
If you get sick, avoid contact with other people until you get medical attention.
Monkeypox vaccine
There are two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed vaccines available to prevent monkeypox infection.
North Carolina received the JYNNEOS vaccine, also known as “Imvamune or Imvanex,” which was FDA approved for the prevention of monkeypox virus infections.
According to the CDC, when given correctly before or after a recent exposure, these vaccines are an effective tool to protect people from disease.
Event information
When: saturday august 6th
Time: from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Wake County Public Health Center, 10 Sunnybrook Rd, Raleigh.
More information about Wake County’s response can be found at WakeGov.com/monkeypox.
MCPH noted that within the next 48 hours, an online vaccination appointment scheduler will be added to its website for vaccinations outside of Saturday’s event: https://www.wakegov.com/monkeypox
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