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A monkeypox vaccine clinic in Wake County accommodated 559 people Saturday, running out of all doses available for the event.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake and Durham counties on Monday will ramp up efforts to provide the monkeypox vaccine for those who are eligible.

Concern over monkeypox and demand for the vaccine is increasing, with 95 cases confirmed in North Carolina.

Learn about monkeypox -- what it is, how it spreads, and where vaccines are available for select groups.

<h2>Monkeypox: What to know</h2>

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious, viral illness that typically involves flu-like symptoms, swelling of the lymph nodes and a rash that includes bumps that are initially filled with fluid before scabbing over.

How is it spread?

The most common means of spread, according to the CDC, is when people come into contact with the rash, scabs or bodily fluids of someone who has monkeypox. Monkeypox can spread through the air, but only to those very close by, with face-to-face contact like kissing or snuggling.

People can contract monkeypox by touching items that come in contact with the rash of others, such as clothing.

Treatment

The CDC recommends vaccination within four days of a monkeypox exposure and says that if a person gets the vaccine four to 14 days after exposure, it may still ease symptoms.

Wake, Durham and Cumberland counties have started distributing the vaccine to eligible groups, which include:

<ul>
	<li>People who have been in close physical contact in the last 14 days with someone diagnosed with monkeypox</li>
	<li>People who know their sexual partner was diagnosed with monkeypox</li>
	<li>Men who have sex with men or transgender individuals&nbsp;who report any of the following in the last 90 days:
	<ul>
		<li>Having multiple or anonymous sex partners</li>
		<li>Being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection</li>
		<li>Receiving HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

Appointments are required for monkeypox vaccines. Links to monkeypox vaccine info by county: {{a href="external_link-20366288"}}Wake{{/a}} | {{a href="external_link-20388813"}}Durham{{/a}} | {{a href="external_link-20388817"}}Cumberland{{/a}}

Monkeypox and vaccine FAQ: What is it, what to know

A 29-year-old Durham man is questioning Durham County and the state’s preparedness for monkeypox after he tested positive for the virus. WRAL News is choosing not to identify the man.

<a href="https://www.wakegov.com/monkeypox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wake County Public Health</a> is expected to have hundreds more vaccines available Monday. <a href="https://www.wakegov.com/monkeypox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People eligible to get the vaccine can make an appointment online</a> or by calling 919-212-9398.

<a href="https://www.dcopublichealth.org/services/communicable-diseases/monkeypox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Durham County Public Health</a> will also offer the vaccine this week. People who qualify can 919-560-9217 to schedule a vaccination appointment.

Wake County set aside 550 vaccine doses over the weekend for the Raleigh clinic, where hundreds of people waited in line for hours to get the shot. The clinic was supposed to run until 3 p.m., but the county said it was vaccinating those in line until past 4 p.m.

Currently, Wake County alone has 11 monkeypox cases. These vaccines are going to those considered most at risk. However, if monkeypox continues to spread, more people may be considered for a vaccine.

The monkeypox vaccine administered at Wake County’s vaccine clinic requires two doses. People who got their first shot Saturday must get another one in four weeks.

Concern around monkeypox is growing with the number of infections. Preventative health director Rebecca Kaufman said in Wake County “we are seeing spread, we are up to 11 cases.”

At the moment, the vaccines are going to those considered most at risk, including:

<ul>	<li>People who have been in close physical contact with someone diagnosed with monkeypox in the last 14 days (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis or PEP)</li>	<li>Men who have sex with men, or transgender individuals, who report any of the following in the last 90 days:	<ul>		<li>Having multiple or anonymous sex partners</li>		<li>Being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection</li>		<li>Receiving HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)</li>	</ul>

</li>	<li>Certain healthcare workers and public health response team members designated by public health authorities</li></ul>

As monkeypox cases rise in North Carolina and across the county, health officials are working to vaccinate those at high-risk more quickly. Experts at Duke Health weighed in on the virus, now that the Biden administration has declared it a public health emergency. 

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THOSE DELAYS. THANKS, BRIAN. &gt;&gt; AS MONKEYPOX CASES RISE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO VACCINATE THOSE AT HIGH RISK. MORE QUICKLY THIS MORNING. EXPERTS AT DUKE HEALTH WEIGHED IN ON THE VIRUS NOW THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS DECLARED MONKEYPOX A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WRAL'S JOE FISHER JOINS US LIVE NOW WITH DETAILS ON THAT CONVERSATION. JOE. RENEE, RIGHT NOW, STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA SAY THAT WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO USE ABOUT 20% OF THE MONKEYPOX VACCINE. &gt;&gt; THAT HAS COME INTO THE STATE THIS MORNING. THOSE DUKE EXPERTS SAID THAT THEY AGREE WITH THE DECISION FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO DECLARE MONKEYPOX A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY TO HOPEFULLY SPEED UP THIS PROCESS AND PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO THE MONKEYPOX RESPONSE. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THAT THE ROUGHLY 7,000 PATIENT CASES NATIONWIDE ABOUT 98% OF THOSE ARE AMONG AND BISEXUAL MEN. THIS IS A VIRUS THAT SPREADS PRIMARILY THROUGH SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT. AND WHILE ALMOST ALL CASES HAVE BEEN AMONG MEN WHO HAVE WITH OTHER MEN. ONE INTERESTING NOTE FROM THE EXPERTS IS THAT THEY DO EXPECT THERE TO BE SOME SORT OF INCREASE IN CASES AMONG KIDS WHO COULD BE UNKNOWINGLY EXPOSED BY SOMEONE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD. &gt;&gt; THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THE WAY THE VIRUS MOVES THAT K IS ABOUT YOU AGENDA WHO YOU LOVE FOR YOU HANG OUT WITH IS NO REASON THAT THIS NEEDS TO STAY IN THOSE POPULATIONS. AND I'M SURE WE'LL GET INTO THIS ALREADY BEEN. WOMEN AND KIDS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL. &gt;&gt; AND IN TERMS OF PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF MONKEYPOX, THESE EXPERTS TALK ABOUT PEOPLE REALLY LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR SYMPTOMS. MONKEYPOX FIRST STARTS WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS. THEN TURNS INTO RASHES AND THEN PAINFUL, BLISTERS. THE EXPERTS REALLY SAYING THAT THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION, GET TESTED FOR MONKEYPOX. SO AS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT OUT AND ABOUT WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA, WE HAD 86 CONFIRMED CASES HERE IN WAKE COUNTY. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET OUT AS MANY VACCINE DOSES AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN. THAT WILL BE A WALK IN THE VACCINE CLINIC. &gt;&gt; TOMORROW, SATURDAY FROM 10 O'CLOCK TO 3 O'CLOCK HERE AT THE HEALTH CENTER ON SUNNYBROOK ROAD. WE HAVE ALL OF THE DETAILS POSTED FOR YOU OVER ON

Joe Fisher

Heather Leah

Keith Baker

Duke experts address monkeypox concerns in NC

“Right now most of the cases are in men who have sex with men," said Kaufman. "We know that can change quickly.”

For health workers still fighting COVID-19, monkeypox adds to the heavy workload.

At the same time, COVID has shown them how to take on a challenge like this one.

“We are going to use those lessons learned and apply them to the monkeypox vaccine,” said Kaufman.

Where to find a monkeypox vaccine in North Carolina.

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Find a monkeypox vaccine: Appointments available in Wake, Durham, Cumberland counties

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