Residents getting vaccinated against monkeypox as South Florida cases continue to climb
WILTON MANORS – Monkeypox is continuing to spread nationally and across South Florida.
"I'm trying to get an early step on this," said Adam Northrop, who received the first part of his two-dose Monkeypox vaccine Monday. "I'm hoping it doesn't become a big thing, but, if it does, I'm prepared."
Monkeypox is from the same virus family as smallpox, so the vaccines used to protect against it are ones that already existed: ACAM2000 and Jynneos. Jynneos is in high demand because health experts say it has fewer side effects for people with certain health conditions.
Typically, the virus begins with flu-like symptoms then a rash that looks like pimples or blisters on the face, body, genitals or inside the mouth.
"It is very itchy what I understand from the patients. Some patients have pain," said Dr. Paula Eckardt. She is the Chief of Infectious Disease at Memorial Regional Healthcare.
Since this outbreak, she has seen 16 suspected Monkeypox patients and seven confirmed.
"Someone with monkeypox should be isolated from the general public until all of the lesions have healed," she explained. She said the virus can take between two and four weeks to heal.
It is spread by skin-to-skin contact, prolonged face-to-face contact, or contact with clothing or bedding used by someone with Monkeypox.
"In this particular outbreak, the men who have sex with men population has been greatly affected," Dr. Eckardt said. "But it doesn't only affect that population. It can affect anybody."
According to the CDC, there are 180 cases in Florida and 1,972 in the United States.
To put that into perspective, the last major outbreak in the country was back in 2003 with 47 cases nationally.
Locally, the Florida Department of Health reports 147 cases total in South Florida. That consists of 102 in Broward, 42 in Miami-Dade, and 3 in Monroe.
Since it is not airborne, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA Commissioner, said on CBS Face the Nation that people are not in the same situation they were at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This isn't going to explode like COVID," he said. "This is a slower moving virus, which is why we could have gotten a hold of it if we had been more aggressive upfront."
People can get a free Monkeypox vaccine at the Pride Center this week from Tuesday to Friday, between 12:00 and 8:00 p.m. Appointments are also available Saturday from 12:30-4:30 p.m.
Other locations offering vaccinations include the Richardson House in Wilton Manors and the Florida Department of Health Offices in Miami-Dade and Broward. All must make an appointment ahead of time.