Monkeypox Cases In MD: Pre-Register For Vaccinations

ANNAPOLIS, MD — As monkeypox cases continue to increase both in Maryland and across the country, the Maryland Department of Health has set up an online system to pre-register for the vaccine and be notified when a vaccine is available.

The Maryland Statewide Human Monkeypox Vaccination Pre-Registration System launched Sept. 1.

“This pre-registration system is another step to ensure that Marylanders can access the tools to stay protected from human monkeypox,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader in a news release. “Keeping impacted residents healthy and safe remain our top priorities.”

The vaccine pre-registration system will be 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.

To date, Maryland has received 14,539 vials of JYNNEOS vaccine from the federal government.

MDH has worked with local health departments to implement intradermal injections, meaning three to five doses from each vial. Those vaccines are available to any eligible individual in any jurisdiction. The pre-registration system continues MDH and local health department efforts to provide easier access for eligible Marylanders to opt-in and mitigate the spread of monkeypox.

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 monkeypos exposures in the prior 2 weeks

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

State health officials on Aug. 26 released a human monkeypox data dashboard showing demographics on human monkeypox case counts and vaccination numbers in the state.

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 Friday these jurisdictions had the most monkeypox cases:

• Prince George's County: 196
• Baltimore City: 161
• Montgomery County: 62
• Baltimore County: 43
• Anne Arundel County: 33

The dashboard shows 534 cases of the disease in the state to date.

A total of 3,470 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. Individuals identified as having close contact with case-patients have been offered vaccination through their local health department, in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Public Outreach and Awareness. State health officials continue to conduct direct outreach to clinicians and regularly brief local health officers. A listening session for interested residents has been held as well. MDH has also 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.