Somerset County to Hold First Monkeypox Vaccination Clinic Thursday in Somerville

SOMERVILLE, NJ – Somerset County’s Department of Health (SCDoH) will host its first monkeypox vaccine clinic at its 27 Warren Street, first floor conference room in Somerville on Thursday, September 8 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The NJ Department of Health (NJDoH) has allocated a limited supply of the JYNNEOS vaccine that will be administered to eligible and high-risk residents 18 years and older. Appointments can be scheduled at SoCoNJ.gov/mpoxclinic until all available slots are filled.

“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.”

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 has provided an easy to navigate listing of all available monkeypox vaccination clinics at https://www.nj.gov/health/monkeypox/vaccines/index.shtml.

Residents, 18 years and older currently eligible to receive the JYNNEOS vaccine are as follows:

• 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.

Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for monkeypox virus infections. However, antivirals developed for use in patients with smallpox may prove beneficial. Individuals who were previously vaccinated against smallpox may have protection against monkeypox. If you develop a new, unexplained skin rash call your doctor immediately and avoid contact with others.

There are a number of 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.

It is important to stay informed through reliable experts such as the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/, the New Jersey Department of Health at http://www.nj.gov/health, and the Somerset County Department of Health at http://SoCoNJ.gov/health.

The Somerset County Department of Health is the lead agency for public health emergency preparedness and response in Somerset County. Funding for these activities is provided by the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement through the New Jersey Department of Health.

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