Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has begun receiving limited doses of
monkeypox vaccine. To date, Georgia has received approximately 3,000 doses of JYNNEOS
vaccine – enough for 1,500 individuals since this is a two-dose vaccine series. The vaccine has
been distributed upon request to health departments and for vaccination events in two counties.
Allocations of monkeypox vaccine from the federal government will increase as the production of
the vaccine ramps up.
To date, DPH has confirmed 93 monkeypox cases in Georgia, all among men living in metro
Atlanta. The majority of these cases identify as men who have sex with men. As such we are
prioritizing vaccine distribution in five metro counties – Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and
Clayton. There is no residency requirement; however, individuals must register for an
appointment and meet certain eligibility requirements. JYNNEOS is a two-vaccine series with 28
days in between doses.
Because demand outweighs supply, DPH is following the recommendations from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and prioritizing monkeypox vaccine for individuals at
high risk of infection. Vaccination may be recommended for people who are close personal
contacts of people with monkeypox, individuals who may have been exposed to monkeypox, or
people who have increased risk of being exposed to the virus such as lab workers. Individuals
are urged to speak with their healthcare provider if they are in one of these groups.
People with monkeypox in the current outbreak generally report having close, sustained
physical contact with other people who have monkeypox. While many of those affected in the
current global outbreaks are gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, anyone who
has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox can get the illness.
While monkeypox does not spread like COVID-19, everyone should take steps to protect
themselves from monkeypox.
• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
• Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
• Do not kiss, hug, cuddle, or have close personal contact with someone with monkeypox.
• Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
• Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
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DPH is working to create online scheduling for monkeypox vaccine as our allocations increase. We will keep you updated on when that scheduling system will be ready and provide information on accessing it. Until then, we urge individuals who may have had contact with monkeypox or are high risk of exposure to contact their healthcare provider.
For more information on monkeypox, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/epidemiology/acute-disease-epidemiology/monkeypox or https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.

Press Release