Maryland expands eligibility requirements for monkeypox vaccine
Sep. 27—Anyone who has had multiple or unknown sexual partners within two weeks can now get the monkeypox vaccine after the Maryland Department of Health expanded eligibility requirements for the two-shot series.
The criteria, which the state health department updated last week, also now include people who are aware that one or more of their sexual partners from the past two weeks has been exposed to the virus.
That includes those who are considered to be at a higher risk for being exposed to the virus — gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and people who are immunocompromised.
Previously, the state health department only recommended vaccination for people who had potentially been exposed to the virus, which can cause painful, pimple-like bumps to develop on many parts of the body.
"The new eligibility criteria align with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and take advantage of the improved supply of the Jynneos vaccine," Dr. Peter DeMartino, director of the health department's Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, said in a news release on Thursday. "Expanding eligibility will provide greater protection for individuals against MPX virus infection and reduce the risk of spread throughout the population."
Nearly 6,000 people in Maryland had received the monkeypox vaccine as of Friday, according to the state health department. As of Thursday, the health department had received 15,539 vials of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine.
More than 2,800 people had signed up on the state's monkeypox preregistration system as of Thursday, according to a news release from the health department.
The number of monkeypox cases reported nationwide every day has steadily been dropping since last month, according to data from the CDC.
There were 24,846 monkeypox cases in the United States as of Monday, 636 of which were in Maryland, according to the CDC.
The state health department tracks local cases of the virus on a public dashboard, which it updates weekly. It doesn't publish case counts for counties reporting fewer than 10 cases.
As of Friday, there were fewer than 10 monkeypox cases in Frederick County, according to the state's dashboard.
Black Marylanders have continued reporting cases at a disproportionate rate. Though only roughly a third of Maryland's population is Black, as of Friday, 59.6% of the monkeypox cases being reported were among Black residents.
The highest proportion of cases reported in Maryland — 46.6% — also continues to be among people between the ages of 30 and 39.
People interested in receiving the monkeypox vaccine should preregister with the state health department at health.maryland.gov/phpa/OIDEOR/Pages/mpx-vax-preregistration.aspx.
The Frederick County Health Department will reach out to offer appointments as clinics are scheduled.
Follow Angela Roberts on Twitter: @24_angier
