Monkeypox

The monkeypox vaccine can protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. For the best protection, get both doses of the two-dose JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine. The second dose should be at least 4 weeks (28 days) after the first dose.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. This virus is part of the same family of viruses as the variola virus, which causes smallpox. Monkeypox and smallpox have similar symptoms, but monkeypox has milder symptoms and it is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.

Find up-to-date information about monkeypox, including the current situation, how it spreads, signs and symptoms, and more from CDC.

CDC recommends getting the monkeypox vaccine if you:

• Had known or suspected exposure to someone with monkeypox
• Had a sex partner in the past 2 weeks who was diagnosed with monkeypox
• Are a gay, bisexual, or other man who has sex with men or sex-diverse person who in the past 6 months has had any of the following:
  • A new diagnosis of one or more sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis)
  • More than one sex partner
• Have had any of the following in the past 6 months:
  • Sex at a commercial sex venue (like a sex club or bathhouse)
  • Sex related to a large commercial event or in a geographic area (city or county for example) where monkeypox virus transmission is occurring
• Have a sex partner with any of the above risks
• Anticipate experiencing any of the above scenarios
• Are at risk for occupational exposure to orthopoxviruses (e.g., certain people who work in a laboratory or a healthcare facility)

CDC also recommends vaccination for people who anticipate certain sexual activities during travel to countries with ongoing human-to-human transmission, regardless of sex identity or sexual orientation. At this time, these countries include Burundi, CAR, DRC, ROC, Rwanda, and Uganda; as this outbreak continues to evolve, these countries may change. Please check CDC’s Monkeypox Vaccine Recommendations page for the latest list of countries for which this recommendation applies. Sexual activities include:

• Sex with a new partner
• Sex at a commercial sex venue (e.g., sex club or bathhouse)
• Sex in exchange for money, goods, drugs or other trade
• Sex in association with a large public event (e.g., rave, party, or festival)

All travelers to these countries should avoid close contact with people who are sick with signs and symptoms of monkeypox, including those with skin or genital lesions.

Two doses provide the best protection. Get dose 1, wait 4 weeks (28 days), and then get dose 2. If you can’t get your second dose on time, you should get it as soon as possible to complete the series. You will have maximum protection two weeks after your second dose.

After vaccination, continue to avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with someone with monkeypox and get the second dose four weeks after the first dose.

• If you have recovered from monkeypox, you do not need any monkeypox vaccine doses.
• You should not get the monkeypox vaccine if you had a severe allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) after getting your first dose of the monkeypox vaccine.
• You should take extra caution if you have had an allergic reaction to any vaccine. You may still be vaccinated with monkeypox, but your provider may need to observe you for 30 minutes after you get vaccinated to ensure you don’t develop an allergic reaction. Speak with your healthcare provider if you have had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics gentamicin or ciprofloxacin, or chicken or egg protein.

Not everyone has side effects, but some people have side effects after monkeypox vaccination. The most common side effects are pain, redness, and itching at the spot where you received the vaccine.

You might also experience the following symptoms, which mean your immune system is responding to the vaccine:

• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Chills
• Muscle Aches

When some people receive the monkeypox vaccine between the layers of the skin (intradermally), they report less pain after vaccination but more side effects like itching, swelling, redness, thickening of the skin, and skin discoloration. Some of these side effects may last for several weeks. If you have concerns about receiving the vaccine intradermally, you can ask to get the vaccine underneath the skin on the back of your upper arm (subcutaneously).

The monkeypox vaccine can reduce the risk of monkeypox disease, and two doses provide the best protection, regardless of where you receive the vaccine.

• Monkeypox vaccines may be available at your local health department, public health clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, or large social gatherings or venues in some large cities. Contact your local health department to find a vaccine in your community.

• The cost of the JYNNEOS vaccine may be covered by some health insurance plans. Learn more about how to pay for vaccines.
• Federal agencies are working to incorporate the JYNNEOS vaccine into their programs to support broad access to this vaccine, including among people who are uninsured and underinsured.

Find detailed information about JYNNEOS on the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS).

Read the VIS for the monkeypox vaccine.