Monkeypox vaccine doses available in Leon County through Florida Department of Health

Christopher Cann, Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

The Florida Department of Health in Leon County has begun providing monkeypox vaccine doses to individuals throughout the capital city and county.

Shots are limited to those at highest risk for infection including people who have been exposed to monkeypox; men who have sex with men, who are also positive for HIV or had a recent diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection; or health and laboratory workers who may come in close contact with the virus, according to Leon County DOH spokesperson Pam Saulsby.

Those considered high risk are "being directly contacted by case investigators from the Department’s Epidemiology Division, and they are being offered appointments to receive the vaccine," Saulsby wrote in a statement.

She added, those who have questions related to monkeypox vaccinations in Leon County should call the local health department at (850) 404-6299.

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The Leon County DOH office, as well as every health department across the state, are only providing the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine, according to the Saulsby.

The JYNNEOS vaccine is administered through a pair of injections four weeks apart to those 18 or older, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vaccine supply in Florida from the federal government is also limited.

As of Aug. 16, Florida has been allocated approximately 65,000 doses from the federal government to be made available through county health departments statewide.

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Leon County confirmed its first case of monkeypox in early August. Meantime, medical experts at Florida State University have assured the community that risk "remains low."

As of Aug. 22, there were 15,433 cases of monkeypox in the United States and 1,588 in the Sunshine State, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to Florida Health Charts, Leon County has three confirmed monkeypox cases and two probable cases, as of Monday.

The monkeypox disease is similar to smallpox: It can spread from one person to another through physical contact and items like clothing, towels and sheets that are contaminated.

Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, chills, exhaustion, muscle or headaches and noticeable rashes should contact their health care provider or their local health department.

Symptoms typically start within three weeks after exposure. It takes two to four weeks for recovery without medication.

How to schedule a monkeypox vaccine appointment

  • To schedule a monkeypox vaccinatione appointment in Leon County, call the local health department at (850) 404-6299.

Contact Christopher Cann at ccann@tallahassee.com and follow @ChrisCannFL on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Monkeypox vaccines available for high risk people in Leon, Tallahassee