Starting on August 18, the Hamilton County Health Department will begin offering the monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos, to eligible individuals in the community.
The Tennessee Department of Health recommends vaccination for people who have been exposed to monkeypox or people who may be at high risk of infection to monkeypox. These individuals include:
- Individuals with a known contact/exposure to monkeypox identified through public health interviews during the prior 14 days.
- Individuals who might have been exposed to monkeypox in the past 14 days, including if they:
o Are aware that a sexual partner was diagnosed with monkeypox in the past 14 days.
o Have had multiple sex partners in the past 14 days.
- Gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, and/or transgender, gender nonconforming or gender non-binary individuals who report any of the following in the last 90 days:
o Having multiple sex partners or anonymous sex.
o Being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
o Receiving medications to prevent HIV infection (HIV PrEP).
“The Health Department wishes to ensure that high-risk populations have access to this vaccine and that our community realizes there is no need to panic. Practicing good prevention habits such as avoiding close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox, avoiding contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used, and washing your hands often will reduce transmission,” says Hamilton County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Stephen Miller. “As a reminder, anyone who has been in close, personal contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk of contracting the virus.”
Vaccines are currently available by appointment only at the Health Department’s main facility located at 921 East 3rd St., Chattanooga, TN. Please call the Health Department’s hotline at 423-209-8383 to make an appointment.
The Health Department created a monkeypox webpage, which displays the number of monkeypox cases for the Hamilton County area, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, and links to state and federal resources.
Additional Information & Resources
- Please visit the Health Department’s website at https://bit.ly/3JlcDkq.
- Call the Health Department’s hotline at 423-209-8383 if you have questions.
- To read this information in Spanish, visit the Health Department’s Spanish Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SaludHamiltonTN.
