Limited monkeypox vaccines are now available in Nueces County. Here's how to get them.

Ashlee Burns, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·2 min read
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A limited supply of a two-dose monkeypox vaccine is available through the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District.

Christine Diatto, a public health nurse in Pontiac, Mich., holds up a vial of the monkeypox and smallpox vaccine on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022.
Christine Diatto, a public health nurse in Pontiac, Mich., holds up a vial of the monkeypox and smallpox vaccine on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022.

As of early September, one probable case of monkeypox has been reported in Nueces County.

The JYNNEOS vaccine is approved for prevention of smallpox and monkeypox. It is the primary vaccine being used in the U.S. for the current outbreak and is administered as two doses given 28 days apart.

Here's what to expect if you're seeking a vaccine.

Who is eligible?

The JYNNEOS vaccine is approved for the prevention of monkeypox for people 18 or older and at high risk for infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nueces County residents who had recent close, intimate, skin-to-skin contact with a confirmed monkeypox infection and men who are 18 or older who have sex with men and have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the past 21 days are eligible for the vaccine.

Can I get a vaccine if I've been exposed to monkeypox or show symptoms?

The vaccine is not for those with confirmed cases or symptoms of monkeypox.

Anyone with a new rash, especially if exposed to monkeypox, should be assessed by a medical provider and isolate while awaiting test results. Those who test positive for monkeypox should isolate until their scabs fall off and new skin forms, a news release from the health district stated.

How do I get a vaccine?

Those who believe they are at high risk of monkeypox should call the health district at 361-826-7200.

What are the side effects?

Not everyone experiences side effects, according to the CDC.

The most common side effects are redness and itching at the spot where the vaccine is given as well as headache, tiredness, nausea, chills and muscle aches.

When the JYNNEOS vaccine is given into the skin of the forearm, some people have reported prolonged swelling and redness at the injection site.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Monkeypox vaccines available in Nueces County. Here's who qualifies.