SUMMIT COUNTY – Summit County Public Health (SCPH) officials announced today the availability by appointment for eligible individuals to receive the Jynneos vaccine in response to the monkeypox outbreak.

“From the beginning of our response, we have been eager to expand eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine,” said Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland. “Thankfully, because of changes to how the vaccine can be administered, we now have supply to protect many more people in our community”

Expanded eligibility defined by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) includes anyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity who has had close physical contact with someone who has monkeypox in the past 14 days, or anyone who: 

• Has been sexually active with more than one person in the past 14 days;
• May not know the recent sexual history of someone they were sexually active with in the past 14 days, or 
• Has had close physical contact with other people in a social or sexual venue in the last 14 days, or  
• Was diagnosed with gonorrhea or syphilis in the past 3 months, or  
• Gives or receives money or other goods in exchange for sex  (e.g. sex in exchange for money, shelter, food, and other goods or needs) 

Eligibility also includes those at high risk of monkeypox exposure, including but not limited to:

• Anyone who is HIV positive or receives or is eligible to receive medications to prevent HIV (PrEP)
• Clinicians or laboratory staff who are at high risk of occupational exposure
• Anyone identified as high risk by a public health official or healthcare provider 

 SCPH has notified providers of this updated guidance, which is effective immediately.

Getting vaccinated against monkeypox can help prevent disease or make it less severe. A federally licensed vaccine, Jynneos is administered in two doses 28 days (four weeks) apart. Full protection begins two weeks after the second vaccine. 

The vaccine is available at no cost to the individual. 

 To date,fewer than 3[DR1] cases have been identified in Summit County, and 229 statewide. According to the CDPHE, more than 10,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine have been administered in Colorado, including more than 8,400 at CDPHE-run clinics and mobile vaccine units.  

Earlier this month, CDPHE published a monkeypox data dashboard at https://cdphe.colorado.gov/diseases-a-to-z/monkeypox to provide Coloradans with the latest information on the state’s vaccine administration and information on the monkeypox outbreak.

To schedule an appointment for the vaccine, please call (970) 668-9161 

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