Michigan health officials are urging people who have been exposed or expect they have been exposed to monkeypox to get the vaccine, according to Click on Detroit. Although the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said there is currently a limited supply of the vaccine, more is expected to arrive in the coming weeks and months.
There are currently at least 5,811 monkeypox cases across the United States, and 55 of those cases were reported in Michigan. Here's what you need to know about getting vaccinated.
The Vaccine
The JYNNEOS vaccine was created to prevent smallpox and monkeypox in people aged 18 and older. It was approved by the FDA in 2019, and does not contain the viruses that cause either smallpox or monkeypox. Michigan has received more than 3,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine.
How It Works
The JYNNEOS vaccine is given in two injections 28 days apart. It takes 14 days after the second does for the vaccine to be fully effective.
Who Should Get Vaccinated
Health officials are currently making those most at risk a priority. Those who have been exposed or expect they have been exposed to monkeypox should contact their local health department. For people under 18, a patient would have to get authorization from the FDA to receive the vaccine.
For more information, check out the CDC's page on monkeypox here.