First Monkeypox Vaccination Clinic To Be Held In Somerset County

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — The first monkeypox vaccine clinic for Somerset County will be held on Thursday.

Somerset County’s Department of Health (SCDoH) is hosting the clinic at its 27 Warren Street, first-floor conference room in Somerville from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"While the current risk of contracting the monkeypox virus in Somerset County is low, we still encourage eligible residents to be vaccinated, whether by the County or at another clinic," said Commissioner Doug Singleterry, liaison to the SCDoH. "Currently vaccine availability is limited, but larger quantities will be available soon and we and other health agencies will be scheduling additional clinics in the coming weeks and months."

In Somerset County, there have been 14 reported cases of monkeypox or 2 percent of the county's population, according to the NJDOH.

A total of 276 people or 2 percent of Somerset County's population have been vaccinated, according to NJDOH.

At the clinic, the SCDoH will be administering the JYNNEOS vaccine to eligible and high-risk residents 18 years and older. A limited supply was allocated by the NJ Department of Health.

Appointments can be scheduled at SoCoNJ.gov/mpoxclinic until all available slots are filled.

The JYNNEOS vaccine is a two-dose series, given 28 days apart. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends receiving both doses of the vaccine, as the level of protection for one dose is unknown. Residents who have been vaccinated against monkeypox by the SCDoH will automatically be scheduled for a second dose appointment.

Eligible residents who are unable to secure an appointment at this week’s clinic are encouraged to seek out additional clinics. The NJDOH offers a listing of all available monkeypox vaccination clinics at nj.gov/health/monkeypox/vaccines/index.shtml.

Who is eligible for the JYNNEOS vaccine?

• People who have known contact with someone who tested positive for orthopoxvirus or monkeypox virus within the past 14 days,
• People who attended an event where a known exposure of monkeypox occurred within the past 14 days, and
• People who had multiple sex partners in the past 14 days where monkeypox has been reported.

Measures a person can take to prevent an infection with the virus:

• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox
• Avoid contact with any materials, such as bedding, clothing, or towels of a person with monkeypox,
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer,
• Talk to your partner about any illness & be aware of new rashes on your bodies. If you and your partner are sick, do not have sex and talk to your doctor, and
• Follow safer sex practices.