Alabama to Receive Monkeypox Vaccine Doses

David Hall, Reporter

david@southerntorch.com

According to State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama will receive roughly 500 to 600 doses of the Monkeypox vaccine “any minute now.”

The vaccine was not made for Monkeypox, but public health officials expect it to work.

“The issue is that because it was made for smallpox, and there’s no smallpox, there wasn’t much of the vaccine around and they’re trying to ramp up production but there’s not very much of it,” stated Harris.

Alabama is receiving part of the first round of doses allocated by the Strategic National Stockpile. 

“It’s something we want people to be aware of; It’s not something we want them to be alarmed about or worried about,” said Harris. He added the current risk is low.

Monkeypox primarily spreads through intimate skin-to-skin contact.

While there have been very few recent reports, Jefferson County Deputy Health Officer Dr. David Hicks said, “We certainly believe there’s going to be an increase.”

According to Hicks, once the vaccines become widely available, receiving one depend on exposure and immune system risks.

“We’re not talking about having the general public come and get vaccinated, but it’s going to be targeted vaccinations based on individual risk,” Hicks stated.

The latest CDC data shows about 1,800 cases reported in the U.S.