VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Shipments of monkeypox vaccines are beginning to arrive at health departments across Hampton Roads.
This comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly 5,000 cases in the U.S. and 76 here in Virginia.
Virginia Beach Health Director Dr. Caitlin Pedati said the department is already working to stop that growth. She said they've given out about 50 monkeypox vaccines so far.
"Our goal for next week is about 150," Dr. Pedati said.
Dr. Pedti said, for now, they are providing doses to the most high-risk groups.
"Many cases so far have been reported among men and particularly men having sex with men," Dr. Pedati said. "But this is a virus that can move from close contact, especially with the rash, those bumps that have virus in them on the body. And that can happen for any number of reasons."
Chesapeake Public Health Emergency Manager Jerry Tucker said they are getting doses next week for the first time, and are also focused on the high-risk population first.
"I will see if we see an exponential increase in the need," Tucker said. "Then, we will shift away from our internal clinics, and we will do what we did with COVID-19 and start offering more max vaccination events."
He said the monkeypox vaccine is also used to fight smallpox.
"It's a two-dose series," Tucker said.
Dr. Pedati said leaders hope to have enough doses to vaccinate more people who want it. But she said it's not something everyone needs now.
"It really does require that kind of close contact with someone. It is not the kind of thing you are going to get by casually walking past someone or interacting with them."
Anyone who feels they are in a high-risk group for monkeypox, or if you have come in contact with someone who has it, Hampton Roads health leaders urge you to call your doctor or the health department to see if you qualify for the vaccine.
Health officials said the monkeypox vaccine can cause redness or tenderness at the injection site and cause mild flu-like symptoms.