Monkeypox cases continue to spike in the state of Georgia. As a result, the Department of Public Health has expanded its distribution of a monkeypox vaccine to high-risk areas.
State health officials have confirmed 93 cases.
All cases are among men who are living in the metro Atlanta area, and the majority identify as men who have sex with men.
Despite that, experts still stress that anyone who’s been in close contact with someone who has contracted monkeypox can become infected too.
The United States has nearly 1,500 total confirmed monkeypox cases, Wabe.org reported.
States with the highest numbers of cases include New York, California, Illinois, and Georgia, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
The agency recommends vaccination for those who’ve been in close contact with someone with monkeypox or who are at high risk of exposure.
The Georgia Department of Public Health says it has received enough vaccine from the Biden administration to treat close to 1,500 individuals with Jynneos, which is a two-dose treatment administered 28 days apart.
DPH has also acknowledged the demand for monkeypox vaccine treatment outweighs the supply. As a result, the agency prioritizes the vaccine for individuals at high risk of infection in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton counties.
As more doses continue to arrive in Georgia, the department plans to launch an online scheduling platform for the vaccine. But the timing of when it will become available is unclear.
The Biden administration recently announced it is working with several commercial laboratories to provide nationwide monkeypox testing.
“The ability of commercial laboratories to test for monkeypox is an important pillar in our comprehensive strategy to combat this disease,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. “This will not only increase testing capacity but also make it more convenient for providers and patients to access tests by using existing provider-to-laboratory networks.”
The CDC says that monkeypox spreads through close, skin-to-skin contact or through sharing bedding or other items someone with monkeypox has touched and causes a distinctive rash that includes painful lesions the incubation period is typically around 1-2 weeks. It’s treatable with existing vaccines.
DPH urges anyone who feels they may be eligible for a vaccine to contact a healthcare provider.
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