Santa Clara County is expanding the availability of the monkeypox vaccine to additional members of the community, following a rise in cases over the past week. As of July 19, there were 23 cases of monkeypox among Santa Clara County residents.
The County is partnering with large healthcare systems to support them in delivering vaccines to their highest risk members. People in Santa Clara County are now eligible for monkeypox vaccine if they:
- Had direct physical contact with someone confirmed to have monkeypox
- Attended an event or venue where a person contagious with monkeypox was at the event or venue and had direct physical contact with other people there
- Identify as a gay, bisexual, or other cisgender man who has sex with men (MSM), or as a transgender man or woman, who meets one or more risk criteria, including performing sex work, having recent multiple or anonymous sex partners, having had a bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis in the past year
The Public Health Department expects to further broaden vaccine eligibility to additional individuals and communities at increased risk of exposure as additional supply becomes available.
County health officials continue to urge residents at risk to take precautions against the monkeypox virus and be aware of symptoms associated with infection. Getting a vaccine before exposure or soon after exposure – ideally within 4 days but up to 14 days after – can help prevent becoming infected with the monkeypox virus, officials said.
More information is available on the County’s monkeypox page here.