JYNNEOS Vaccine for Mpox
Mpox Vaccine
Mpox vaccine is available to people who are eligible at a number of Health District and community clinics.
Current eligibility to receive the vaccine includes:
- Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, transgender or nonbinary people who in the past 6 months have had one of the following:
- A new diagnosis of ≥1 sexually transmitted disease
- More than one sex partner
- Sex at a commercial sex venue
- Sex in association with a large public event in a geographic area where mpox transmission is occurring
- Sexual partners of persons with the risks described above
- Persons who anticipate experiencing any of the above
- Persons who had close physical contact with someone known or suspected of having mpox in the last 14 days (could include a sexual partner or someone in the household)
- Persons who have been informed by the Health District that they are a close contact of someone with mpox.
Those who have received their first dose of the vaccine are eligible for the second dose, even if they do not meet any of the current criteria.
Individuals who had Mpox are not eligible for the vaccine. Vaccine clients will be assessed prior to receiving the vaccine to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements.
People who are eligible can make appointments to get the vaccine at the Southern Nevada Health District using its online system available at http://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/community-health-center/immunization-clinic/.
The JYNNEOS vaccine has been approved in the U.S. for the prevention of Mpox and smallpox. It is recommended for people age 18 and older who are at high risk for monkeypox infection. The vaccine contains a vaccinia virus, which is the virus related to the Mpox and smallpox virus. It is a weakened virus that cannot copy itself in human cells and cannot spread to other parts of the body or people.
The vaccine can help protect people against Mpox when given before exposure to the virus. The vaccine may also reduce the risk of infection if given within four days after exposure and reduce the risk of serious illness if given within 14 days after exposure. The sooner you get the vaccine after a potential exposure, the more likely it is to work.
People should get two doses at least four weeks apart. Currently booster shots are not recommended for people with a community exposure.
It takes time for your body to build protection from the vaccine. You will start to build protection in the days and weeks after your first dose and have full immunity from the vaccine two weeks after your second dose.
Clinical trial data shows two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine are effective in preventing Mpox. We will learn more about how well JYNNEOS vaccines will prevent illness and severe disease in the current outbreak. This is why it is important for everyone to take steps to protect themselves and others, including avoiding sex and intimate contact if they have unknown rashes or lesions or with someone who is displaying symptoms.
Side effects are common but usually mild. Most people have redness, swelling and pain where they got the shot. Tiredness, headache and muscle pain can also occur after vaccination.
Signs of a severe allergic reaction include hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness. If you think you are having a severe allergic reaction, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. Call your health care provider if you have other side effects that concern you. If you do not have a provider, call 311 to be connected to care.
Your provider is required to report serious adverse reactions to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), but you can also report to VAERS at vaers.hhs.gov or by calling 800-822-7967. VAERS staff members do not give medical advice.
Yes. JYNNEOS has been studied in people with HIV and atopic dermatitis, and no severe adverse events were identified.
People who had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine or an ingredient in the vaccine (such as gentamicin, ciprofloxacin or egg protein) should not get vaccinated.
People who were vaccinated against smallpox prior to this outbreak should get the JYNNEOS vaccine after exposure to Mpox, as protection from smallpox vaccine may lessen over time.
No. The virus in the vaccine is weakened and cannot copy in human cells. The vaccine cannot cause Mpox, smallpox or vaccinia in the person getting vaccinated or those around them.
The JYNNEOS vaccine may be given before, after or at the same time as other vaccines. The exceptions are the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. People at increased risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), particularly young adult males, might consider waiting four weeks after their JYNNEOS vaccine to get a dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. However, if vaccination is recommended due to a known exposure to Mpox, you should get the JYNNEOS vaccine even if you recently got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
For more information about monkeypox, visit www.snhd.info/monkeypox.
Monkeypox Vaccine Eligibility Criteria
- Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, transgender or nonbinary people who in the past 6 months have had one of the following:
- A new diagnosis of ≥1 sexually transmitted disease
- More than one sex partner
- Sex at a commercial sex venue
- Sex in association with a large public event in a geographic area where mpox transmission is occurring
- Sexual partners of persons with the risks described above
- Persons who anticipate experiencing any of the above
- Persons who had close physical contact with someone known or suspected of having mpox in the last 14 days (could include a sexual partner or someone in the household)
- Persons who have been informed by the Health District that they are a close contact of someone with mpox.
Those who have received their first dose of the vaccine are eligible for the second dose, even if they do not meet any of the current criteria.
Individuals who had Mpox are not eligible for the vaccine. Vaccine clients will be assessed prior to receiving the vaccine to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements.
Updated on: November 2, 2023 1:35 pm