Monkeypox vaccines are available in Durham and Wake counties. Here’s what to know.

Kristen Johnson
Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP/file

A vaccine to prevent the spread of monkeypox is now available in Durham and Wake counties.

After three cases have been confirmed in North Carolina, the federal government has allocated to the state 444 doses of Jynneos, one of the two vaccines that can prevent monkeypox or lead to less severe symptoms if administered within 14 days of exposure.

Durham confirmed its first case of monkeypox on July 12.

The Durham County Department of Public Health and the Wake County Health and Human Services Department are now offering the vaccine by appointment. Buncombe, Forsyth, Mecklenburg, New Hanover and Pitt also have received initial doses from the state, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said last week.

However, due to the limited number of doses, there are some qualifications to get the vaccine.

The spread of monkeypox has been a rising concern amid new outbreaks of COVID-19. Health experts say the monkeypox is not as contagious as the coronavirus. But there are some preventative measures individuals can take, including looking for symptoms to prevent the spread.

Here’s what to know about how to get the monkeypox vaccine and where to find one in the Triangle area:

Who can get the monkeypox vaccine?

In the current monkeypox outbreak, people with the viral infection have reported having close physical contact with other people who have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because of the limited number of vaccines at local health departments, they are only administering the Jynneos vaccine to individuals with known or suspected exposure to monkeypox.

For the available vaccines, eligible individuals include:

  • People who have had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with monkeypox.

  • Men who have sex with other men or transgender people who have had multiple or anonymous partners in the last 14 days in either a venue where monkeypox was present or in an area where the virus is spreading.

Who can get a vaccine for monkeypox? Answers from NC health officials.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Monkeypox is part of the same virus family as smallpox so the symptoms are similar but milder, according to the CDC. The infection is rarely fatal and typically lasts two to four weeks.

A rash is the most prevalent symptom of monkeypox. The rash resembles pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals or anus.

Most people get a rash first before showing other symptoms. Other people only get a rash.

Symptoms can also include:

  • fever

  • headache

  • muscle aches or backache

  • swollen lymph nodes

  • exhaustion

  • chills

The illness can be confused with a sexually transmitted infection like syphilis or herpes, or with the chickenpox virus.

Monkeypox case confirmed in Durham. What you should know about how the emerging virus spreads.

Durham County

Beginning July 12, the Durham County Department of Public Health is scheduling appointments for Jynneos, according to a press release.

The department has 62 doses of the Jynneos vaccine available with 7 appointments as of Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson for the department said they expect to receive more.

Eligible individuals can call the county’s department resource line at 919-560-9217 to request the vaccination if they meet one of the eligibility criteria.

Health officials are asking anyone who has an unexplained rash, sores or other symptoms to contact their health provider.

Individuals are also urged to keep rashes covered and to avoid sex or intimacy with anyone until they have been evaluated by a medical provider

The department is located in Durham at 414 E. Main St.

Wake County

Residents who meet the qualifying eligibility criteria for monkeypox can call the Wake County Public Health Department at 919-250-4462 for screening and to schedule an appointment for a vaccine.

As of July 12, Wake County has 20 available doses of Jynneos, according to a spokeswoman for the health department. So far, there have been 19 appointments made for the vaccine.

Information tables on the viral infection have been set up at the county’s Sunnybrook Public Health Center; the Southern Regional Center in Fuquay-Varina; the Western Regional Center in Cary; the Eastern Regional Center in Zebulon; and at the Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest.

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