Monkeypox In MD: Vaccine Eligibility Expanded

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Eligibility for the human monkeypox vaccine has been expanded, allowing vaccine administration to anyone at high risk of infection to be vaccinated, state health officials said Thursday.

The vaccine was previously recommended only for people who had been potentially exposed to monkeypox in the prior two weeks, according to a news release.

“Vaccination plays a critical role in Maryland’s comprehensive response to the MPX outbreak,” said Dr. Peter DeMartino, Maryland Department of Health Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau Director. “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. Expanding eligibility will provide greater protection for individuals against monkeypox virus infection and reduce the risk of spread throughout the population.”

Effective immediately, the expanded criteria for monkeypox vaccination will include anyone in Maryland who meets any of these criteria:

• Anyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity who has had multiple or unknown sexual partners in the past two weeks, including those considered higher risk: gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, and immunocompromised individuals; or
• Anyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity who are aware that one or more of their sexual partners from the past two weeks has been exposed to monkeypox.

Visit health.maryland.gov/monkeypox to pre-register for a vaccine appointment. Pre-registration is for the first monkeypox vaccine dose only. The recommended second dose will be coordinated for each person by the first dose provider or local health department.

Officials said residents who have already pre-registered for a shot, and now meets the expanded eligibility criteria, will be contacted.

The Maryland Statewide Human Monkeypox Vaccination Pre-Registration System launched Sept. 1. The system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People who register through the system and are determined to be eligible for the vaccine will receive an email invitation to make an appointment through their local health department.

As of Sept. 14, Maryland has received 23,299 vials of JYNNEOS vaccine from the federal government.

The vaccination pre-registration system is intended for Maryland residents who meet one of the following criteria:

• Self-identified close contact of a person with monkeypox
• Impacted community member with potential monkeypox exposures in the prior two weeks

Vaccinations to prevent monkeypox disease are free. Pre-registration is for the first vaccine dose only. Subsequent doses will be coordinated for each person by the first dose provider.

A human monkeypox data dashboard shows demographics on human monkeypox case counts and vaccination numbers in Maryland.

Maryland’s first monkeypox case was announced on June 16, according to Gov. Larry Hogan's office. While anyone can get and spread monkeypox, the vast majority of cases have been reported among men who have sex with men.

As of Thursday these jurisdictions had the most monkeypox cases:

• Prince George's County: 211
• Baltimore City: 188
• Montgomery County: 74
• Baltimore County: 49
• Anne Arundel County: 34

The dashboard shows 609 cases of the disease in the state to date.

A total of 5,248 people in Maryland have been vaccinated for monkeypox to date.

The data dashboard is updated weekly on Fridays and displays:

• Total confirmed cases in the state
• Confirmed cases by jurisdiction
• Confirmed cases by age, sex, race, and ethnicity
• Number of people vaccinated statewide

County case counts below 10 will not be shown to protect patient privacy. If those counts meet or exceed 10 cases, the numbers will be updated, a news release said.

Maryland health departments continue to offer human monkeypox vaccines to those who are eligible per U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Current eligibility includes:

• Public Health Identified Close Contacts: Known close contacts who are identified by public health via case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure assessments.
• Occupational Exposure: Healthcare workers who may have been exposed to a known case and Laboratory Response Network or other laboratory staff working directly with monkeypox testing.

In addition, health officials in Baltimore City and Montgomery, Prince George’s and Baltimore Counties are following CDC guidelines to make vaccines available to the following categories of individuals based on supply. Other health departments will do so as supply allows:

• Self-Identified Partners of Cases: Individuals who are aware that one of their sexual partners from the past two weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox.
• Affected Community Members: Those in high-risk populations who report any of the following in the past two weeks:
  • Recent group sex or sex with multiple partners.
  • Sex or employment at a venue or in association with an event, venue, or defined geographic area where monkeypox transmission has been reported.

MDH continues to partner with local health departments on vaccine distribution within the constraints of federal supply issues.

The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency, and governments are asking for more vaccines to prevent the rare but serious illness predominantly caused by prolonged intimate physical contact.

Monkeypox has been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

MD's Monkeypox Testing, Vaccination Plan

Testing Capacity. Testing for monkeypox is available through commercial labs and the MDH state public health laboratory. It is not available to purchase at stores. Residents who believe they were exposed to monkeypox or have an illness that could be monkeypox should contact their medical provider.

People without a provider or insurance should visit health.maryland.gov/CSTIP/local to find contact information for their local health department. Healthcare providers should educate patients on home isolation while results are pending.

Contact Tracing. Contact tracing is being conducted by state and local health departments for all presumed monkeypox cases.

Public Outreach and Awareness. MDH has made available a fact sheet and frequently asked questions with information about human monkeypox. Earlier, the CDC released updated guidance on isolation and prevention practices.

The monkeypox virus has rarely been reported outside of Central and West Africa, where host animals include a range of rodents and monkeys. It can be easily spread from animals to humans through a bite or scratch, according to the WHO. The last time the United States saw a sizable outbreak was in 2003, when 70 cases were linked to the import of infected prairie dogs.

• Related: What Is Monkeypox?

The Associated Press contributed reporting.