Monkeypox Vaccine Being Distributed In Riverside County

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — Riverside County is providing a portion of its monkeypox vaccine allotment to some Coachella Valley clinics in response to a growing outbreak in the region.

As of Tuesday, Riverside County currently has a total of five confirmed/probable mondeypox cases — all of which are in Eastern Riverside County, according to county public health officials.

"By sharing the vaccine, which is in limited supply, we wanted to make it as easy as possible for patients to get the shot if they and their medical provider agree it is appropriate," said Kim Saruwatari, director of Public Health.

The monkeypox JYNNEOS vaccine is a two-shot series for use in people 18 and over. The California Department of Public Health has allocated a limited number of vaccine doses to Riverside County. The doses are truly limited. To date, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced it's shipped just over 300,000 JYNNEOS vaccine doses to states and jurisdictions from the Strategic National Stockpile.

"We continue to do everything we can to ramp up supply of vaccines and distribute them to those in need as quickly and equitably as possible,” HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said Friday in a released statement. “Our strategy is to secure additional doses for the near-term while also making sure we have a steady supply in the weeks and months to come.”

Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids, including during sex, as well as activities like kissing, hugging, massaging, and cuddling, according to county health officials.

Monkeypox can spread through touching unwashed items used by an infected person, such as clothing and bedding. It can also spread via respiratory secretions during prolonged, close, face-to-face contact, county health officials reported.

Vaccination helps to protect against monkeypox when given before or shortly after an exposure, health officials said.

Vaccination is not limited to people in the Coachella Valley. The county health department will offer vaccination to people "who have been in close contact with someone who has had monkeypox who are identified by public health via case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure assessments," according to a news release from the agency.

"Public Health will continue to maintain a supply of the Monkeypox vaccine that could be used in the event of a large-scale exposure event," the release stated.

Riverside County is also collaborating with community care partners to start providing the vaccine to people with certain risk factors who are more likely to have been recently exposed to the virus, as well as those working with the monkeypox virus in laboratories and clinics.

Riverside County is also working with community care partners to set up treatment sites with Tecovirimat (TPOXX) for patients who are at higher risk of severe disease from monkeypox. At this time, most patients have not required TPOXX and symptoms have resolved on their own with symptom management strategies, the county health department reported.

According to the county, there are ways to prevent the spread of monkeypox, including:

• Always talking to your sexual partner(s) about any recent illness and being aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including on the genitals and anus.
• Avoiding close contact, including sex, with people with symptoms like sores or rashes.
• Practicing good hand hygiene.
• People who become infected should isolate until their symptoms are improving or have gone away completely. Rash should always be well covered until completely healed.
• Using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (like a mask, gown, and gloves) when caring for others with symptoms.
• Avoiding contact with infected materials contaminated with the virus.
• Avoiding contact with infected animals.