Two new additional monkeypox (hMPXV) vaccination sites with community partners have opened locally as vaccinations continue under expanded eligibility, New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) officials reported.
New Jersey DOH has received monkeypox vaccines from the federal government and provides them at no cost to individuals.
The new sites, which join other community partner vaccination sites throughout the state offering vaccines primarily through appointments, include Cumberland County Health Department and Vineland Health Department. While reported monkeypox cases have decreased since the peak in the summer of 2022 and risk has remained low for the general public, it is essential for individuals who may be most at risk to get vaccinated in advance of the exposure, officials reported.
Under Expanded Vaccination, individuals who do not have a known exposure, but have been in or may be in situations with a higher risk of exposure, are eligible to receive the vaccine. Some examples include:
People in certain occupational exposure risk groups such as laboratory personnel working with orthopoxviruses, clinical laboratory personnel performing diagnostic testing for orthopoxviruses, and orthopoxvirus and healthcare worker response teams designated by appropriate public health and antiterror authorities.
For individuals with known exposure or exposure to a person with monkeypox within the past 14 days, the two-dose antiviral regimen called tecovirimat (TPOXX) for preventing monkeypox continues to be available through local health departments.
People with symptoms of monkeypox should contact a healthcare provider to be evaluated for possible testing. Specimens must be collected by a healthcare provider and sent to a laboratory.
Contact information for Cumberland County Health Dept. for Millville and Bridgeton is 856-327-7602, ext. 7120. For Vineland you need to call for an appointment/location at 856-794-4000, ext. 4806.
More information on monkeypox data, testing, symptoms and vaccines is available at nj.gov/health/monkeypox.
