Who is eligible for Mississippi’s 600 doses of monkeypox vaccine?
With only one confirmed case of monkeypox in Mississippi, a vaccine within these state lines will be hard to come by. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi currently has enough vaccine to treat 300 people and does not have an ETA or timeline for the acquisition of additional doses.
“Right now we have about 600 doses in the state, but it’s a two-dose series. So, that’s enough for 300 people,” said State Epidemiologist Paul Byers.
Since May 17, the U.S. has confirmed 3,591 cases of the viral disease. More than 2,000 of those cases were identified in the last two weeks.
State officials warn that Mississippi will likely see more monkeypox cases before the epidemic is contained, but with one of the lowest confirmed cases in the country, the demand for the vaccine has been minimal.
“We’re not at a point yet where we are vaccinating for pre-exposure,” Byers said.
Unlike the COVID-19 vaccines, the monkeypox vaccine is primarily used for post exposure prevention.
Who qualifies for a vaccine?
Anyone who has
Been exposed to someone with a confirmed case.
Been exposed to someone who has a rash resembling ones associated with monkeypox. The rashes can resemble acne, blisters, bug bites, herpes or syphilis and appear anywhere on the body.
Traveled to a country with confirmed cases or where monkeypox is endemic
Had close or intimate in-person contact with someone who meets sexual partners online, in apps, at bars or at parties.
Had contact with a dead or live wild animal or exotic pet native to Africa
Used a product derived from an animal native to Africa (e.g., game meat, creams, lotions, powders, etc.)
What is monkeypox?
According to the CDC, “Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder; and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.”
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
Fever
Headache
Muscle aches and backache
Swollen lymph nodes
Chills
Exhaustion
A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.
Monkeypox is contagious from the start of the first symptoms until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed, according to the CDC.
Anyone who suspects exposure to monkeypox should visit their primary health physician for confirmation and treatment. Byers said physicians have had success with prescribing the vaccine to people in early stages of the virus.
This story was originally published July 28, 2022 at 11:57 AM.
