Monkeypox Vaccination Appointments Fill Up Fast in DC

As the number of monkeypox cases rises across the country, at least one location is having trouble meeting demand for vaccinations.

The District of Columbia reported 53 cases as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

DC Health has opened two clinics offering monkeypox vaccinations by appointment. The available appointments fill up as soon as they become available, WJLA reports.

DC Health tweeted Tuesday that all the appointments had been scheduled. Its website carried the same message, adding, “Check DC Health’s social platforms or sign-up below to get updates on additional appointment availability.”

The number of cases in Washington is almost 10 percent of the total cases reported in the country Tuesday: 557.

California had the most, with 111. New York had 96.

Monkeypox is a viral disease from the same family as smallpox, though its symptoms usually aren’t as serious. Scientists have known about it since 1958, when it was found in lab monkeys used for research. Monkeypox is most common in Central and West Africa. But in May 2022, health officials began reporting an outbreak of the virus in several regions outside Africa.

Here’s how it spreads:

• Contact with body fluids like blood or semen; lesions on skin, including inside nose and mouth

• Respiratory droplets

• Less often, items touched by infected body fluids, like bedding or clothing

• Scratches or bites by infected animals

• Eating uncooked contaminated meat.

While not technically a sexually transmitted disease, it is sometimes transmitted sexually, especially between men.

Sources:

CDC: “Monkeypox 2022 U.S. Map & Case Count”

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