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 You are receiving this message because you subscribed to receive monkeypox updates or general updates from Kitsap Public Health District. You can manage your subscriptions using the links at the bottom of this message. See our website for additional monkeypox updates and information.
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Updates on monkeypox cases and vaccination rollout
Three cases reported in Kitsap County to date; vaccination clinics planned for August.
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Update on monkeypox cases
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Three monkeypox cases have been reported to date in Kitsap County. The most recent case was identified Aug. 11. All cases were reported among adult male residents. Kitsap Public Health has worked to identify and notify close contacts of reported cases and provided vaccination to those at high risk for infection. We are posting local updates to our website.
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More than 300 cases have been reported across 13 Washington counties as of Aug. 16. More than 250 of those cases were reported in King County. Go to doh.wa.gov/monkeypox for updates. Visit the CDC's monkeypox outbreak page for national and global case updates.
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Kitsap Public Health continues to raise awareness of monkeypox and share prevention information in our community. We have provided updates and educational webinars to healthcare providers and local organizations. We are partnering with groups serving higher-risk populations to distribute monkeypox information. If you are interested in supporting monkeypox outreach, email pio@kitsappublichealth.org
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MONKEYPOX RESOURCES
Click here to download our printable monkeypox fact sheet. You can find more information and updates on these websites:
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Updates on monkeypox vaccination
- The JYNNEOS vaccine has been approved to prevent monkeypox infection or severe illness from monkeypox. Our state Department of Health is receiving shipments of the vaccine from the federal government and is distributing vaccine to counties based on need. Vaccine supplies remain limited.
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The federal government is taking steps to increase supplies, including authorizing the vaccine to be administered intradermally (between layers of skin). This allows providers to administer smaller doses and will increase the number of doses available in every vaccine vial.
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Kitsap Public Health District has received about 100 vials of JYNNEOS vaccine to date. We have vaccinated a small number of residents who were identified as close contacts of monkeypox cases and were at high risk for infection.
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We are finalizing plans to provide vaccination clinics to the public and distribute vaccine to local healthcare providers. We expect to announce appointment availability for our first monkeypox vaccination clinic for eligible residents early next week. The announcement will be made through this email listserv and on our website. We will also share information through partner organizations in the community.
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Because vaccine supplies are limited, we are prioritizing vaccination for people who are at highest risk for getting monkeypox based on how the virus is spreading in our region. Anyone who has close contact with a monkeypox case is at risk for getting monkeypox. The majority of monkeypox cases in the current outbreak have been among men who reported having close, intimate contact with other men. See this recent update from King County for more information.
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Eligibility for vaccination at our clinics will be in line with guidance from the state Department of Health (see Post-Exposure Prophylaxis criteria on page 2). We will post detailed eligibility criteria prior to opening registration for our first clinic.
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To support equitable access to vaccination, we will reserve appointments at each of our clinics for people who are eligible for monkeypox vaccination and have barriers to accessing healthcare services or need assistance registering for appointments. We will work with community partners to identify eligible patients and connect them to vaccination.
- For more information on monkeypox vaccination, call 360-728-2007 or email immunizations@kitsappublichealth.org.
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