Mass. DPH: Preventing Monkeypox

Learn more at mass.gov/Monkeypox

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health: Preventing Monkeypox

(Visual description) Dr. Estevan Garcia, a Latino male, stands in front of a royal blue swirled backdrop. He has short brown/ greying hair and is wearing a blue dress shirt and suit pants with a long, white medical lab coat and brown plastic glasses. He is standing next to a white, female interpreter with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and gray slacks.

Dr. Garcia:
Hello! I’m Dr. Estevan Garcia, Chief Medical Officer for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. I’m here to share some important information regarding the monkeypox virus.

What is Monkeypox? It is a rare disease that can make you sick with a rash which may look like pimples or blisters that may be painful or itchy. Symptoms often start first with a flu-like illness such as fever, headache and muscle aches.

Anyone who has been in close contact with someone with monkeypox is at risk. Gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men continue to make up a large proportion of cases identified to date. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER that the risk is not limited to this community. ANYONE in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has been monitoring cases of monkeypox in our residents since the state’s first case was announced May 18th. We are in touch with patients, their medical providers, and local health departments regarding these cases.

People with monkeypox generally recover fully in 2-4 weeks. And there have been NO deaths reported in the US related to this outbreak.

How do you prevent monkeypox? The monkeypox virus does NOT spread easily between people; it spreads through close personal contact. Transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids and monkeypox sores. It also spreads by touching items contaminated with fluids or sores (like clothing or bedding). Less commonly, monkeypox can spread through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact.

As the CDC advises, anyone who believes they may have monkeypox, should contact their health care provider and isolate from others. If you need to go out, cover your rash or lesions when you are around other people until you are no longer infectious.

What about vaccination for monkeypox? Some health care providers and locations are offering vaccination against monkeypox with the JYNNEOS vaccine, but supply is extremely limited, both here and nationally. For now, vaccine in the Commonwealth is limited to people who live and work in Massachusetts and it is prioritized for individuals at greatest risk of exposure to someone with monkeypox. If you think you qualify for a monkeypox vaccine, you should contact your healthcare provider or one of the state’s provider locations.

You can learn more at www.mass.gov/monkeypox. Thank you for your attention and for sharing this information with others.

Narrator:
Monkeypox can spread through close contact, like skin to skin.
Learn the symptoms and help prevent the spread.
Learn more at mass.gov/Monkeypox
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health

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Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information.

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