The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently announced that as part of a national strategy to address the ongoing outbreak of monkeypox virus, the State of Illinois is receiving an immediate allocation of vaccines from the national stockpile, a press release noted.
IDPH will initially receive 1,291 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine while the Chicago Department of Public Health is receiving a separate initial allocation of 3,200 doses.
Federal authorities said the number of vaccine doses available is expected to increase substantially during the coming months.
As of July 7, the CDC reported 91 probable monkeypox virus cases in Illinois. On June 30, the count was 46 individuals.
The vaccine doses distributed to IDPH will be available in counties (such as Cook and Lake) that have experienced at least one case of the virus.
Anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, can spread monkeypox through contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores or shared items (such as clothing and bedding) that have been contaminated with fluids or sores of a person with monkeypox. Monkeypox virus can also spread between people through respiratory droplets typically in a close setting, such as the same household or a healthcare setting. Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus.
For more information about the current cases of monkeypox in the U.S. and the national response, go to: www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/outbreak/us-outbreaks.html .