drive racial disparities with every new emerging public health threat,” he says.
A “substantial proportion” of monkeypox cases have been reported among people with HIV, who may be at higher risk of severe illness. HIV is another disease that disproportionately affects Blacks.
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How to protect yourself
Nearly all cases to date have been among men who have sex with men, according to the CDC, however, health authorities emphasize that anyone can catch monkeypox. According to health officials, the virus could begin to spread more broadly.
“Public health efforts should prioritize gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, who are currently disproportionately affected, for prevention and testing, while addressing equity, minimizing stigma, and maintaining vigilance for transmission in other populations,” the authors of the report say.
According to the CDC, “monkeypox can spread to anyone through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact.” This includes:
- Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.
- Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
- Contact with respiratory secretions.
- This direct contact can happen during intimate contact, including:
- Oral, anal, and vaginal sex or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole) of a person with monkeypox.
- Hugging, massage, and kissing.
- Prolonged face-to-face contact.
- Touching fabrics and objects during sex that were used by a person with monkeypox and that have not been disinfected, such as bedding, towels, fetish gear, and sex toys.
Early warning signs of illness are less common in the current outbreak compared with “typical” monkeypox. In about 2 in 5 cases, the illness started with the rash – with no reported prodromal symptoms such as chills, headache or malaise. About 2 in 5 cases also did not report fever.
What to do if you experience symptoms
You should take precautions to reduce your exposure to monkeypox until immune protection from vaccines has reached its maximum. However, if you experience symptoms, it is important to get tested.
If you have a rash that is consistent with monkeypox, you should be tested for the virus, regardless of your sexual or gender identity or the presence of other symptoms.
The preferred vaccine to protect against monkeypox is JYNNEOS, which is a two-dose vaccine. It takes 14 days after getting the second dose of JYNNEOS for its immune protection to reach its maximum.
The ACAM2000 vaccine can be used an alternative to JYNNEOS. ACAM2000 is a single-dose vaccine, and it takes four weeks after vaccination for its immune protection to reach its maximum. However, because it has more side effects than JYNNEOS, it is not recommended for people with severely weakened immune systems and several other conditions.
Consult your healthcare provider to see if you should get vaccinated against monkeypox, and if you should receive ACAM2000 instead of JYNNEOS.