Need monkeypox shots? How Wake County will make its vaccine supply stretch farther

Wake County is changing how it vaccinates people for the monkeypox virus, increasing the county’s supply of the vaccine five-fold.

Starting Monday, Wake County will administer the vaccine with an intradermal injection instead of an intramuscular injection, according to a news release.

“This method of administering the monkeypox vaccine is going to be able to significantly expand the vaccines available, meaning we can offer a lot more protection even faster to our residents who need it,” Wake County Commissioner Chair Chair Sig Hutchinson said in a news release. “We’re excited that our supply of doses will now stretch even further.”

Most vaccines are given into the muscle layer below the skin and fat. Intradermal injections are delivered into the topmost layer of the skin and are often used for testing for tuberculosis and allergies, according to Wake County.

This method requires a person’s skin to be pulled tight and the needle inserted in at an angle. A small welt can appear on the skin that will disappear after a few days, according to Wake County.

The two vaccine methods are equally effective, but the intradermal method uses 0.1 milliliters compared to 0.5 used in an intramuscular method.

The change was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and federal officials have said getting a smaller dose of the vaccine does not change its effectiveness.

Side effects are similar for the two vaccination methods.

Wake County had 24 confirmed monkeypox cases and had administered 1,035 doses of the vaccine as of Monday morning.

Monkeypox is a rare, but potentially serious illness that typically involves flu-like symptoms, as well as a rash that can look like pimples or blisters on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals or anus, according to the county’s website.

For more information including how to get vaccinated, go to www.wakegov.com/monkeypox. People who have been exposed to someone who has had monkeypox, or who think they qualify for the vaccine can contact the monkeypox call center at 919-212-9398, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.