Vaccines

Vaccination helps to protect against monkeypox when given before or shortly after an exposure. There are two monkeypox vaccines currently available in the United States via the Strategic National Stockpile.  

At this time, the federal government has allocated a limited number of JYNNEOS vaccine doses to Californians. The California Department of Public Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Local Health Departments to make these doses available to protect against monkeypox. JYNNEOS is licensed for adults 18 years and over. It is administered as a two dose injection series in the upper arm at least four weeks apart. Most people who receive the JYNNEOS vaccine have only minor reactions such as pain, redness, swelling and itching at the injection site. Less commonly, people also may experience muscle pain, headache, fatigue (tiredness), nausea, chills, and fever.

The  CDC advises  that  people who have been exposed to monkeypox be given the vaccine to prevent them from developing the disease. This is called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP. PEP is most effective at preventing monkeypox if the vaccine is administered  within 4 days of exposure. If given between 4–14 days after the date of exposure, vaccination may help reduce symptoms, but may not prevent the infection from developing.

 At this time, the JYNNEOS vaccine is being prioritized for the following groups:

• Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for known close contacts of monkeypox cases who are identified by public health via case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure assessments.

• Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)++  for individuals with certain risk factors who are more likely to have been recently exposed to monkeypox even if they have not had documented exposure to someone with confirmed monkeypox, such as people who attended an event or venue where there was known monkeypox exposure.

• Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals at occupational risk of monkeypox according to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidance, including: laboratory workers who perform monkeypox testing, and clinical and public health workers who collect monkeypox specimens.
  

On July 19, California sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlining a request for additional doses of vaccine. Additional doses will eventually allow for expansion of vaccination efforts to include PrEP to other individuals, including gay, bisexual, trans and other men who have sex with men who are at high risk of monkeypox exposure.

Stay up to date on the latest information regarding vaccine strategies for monkeypox. 

Resources

Vaccine Resources for the General Public:

• JYNNEOS Vaccine FAQ - CDPH resource with common questions around monkeypox vaccination.
• Vaccine Information Statement: Smallpox/Monkeypox Vaccine (JYNNEOS™) - CDC vaccination statement, including administration, adverse reactions, and risks (PDF).  

Vaccine Resources for Healthcare Providers:

• Consideration for Monkeypox Vaccination – CDC strategies, vaccine information, planning considerations, and vaccine resources.
• EZIZ Vaccine Resources – monkeypox vaccination resources on JYNNEOS including vaccine administration and adverse reactions.
  
• Monkeypox and Smallpox Vaccine Guidance – CDC guidance on vaccine effectiveness, including vaccine administration and adverse reactions.
  
• Interim guidance: Intradermal administration of JYNNEOS smallpox and monkeypox vaccine recommended to extend scarce supplies
  

Vaccine Resources for Local Health Departments:

• Vaccine Allocation Calculation Process –CDPH document with details on vaccine allocation to Local Health Jurisdictions.
• Monkeypox Vaccine Distribution – HHS data on vaccine distribution within the U.S.
• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting – HHS adverse event reporting tool. 

Monkeypox Allocation at Local Health Jurisdictions (as of August 2, 2022)

Allocation numbers are updated on Tuesdays. 

Table 1. CDPH and LA County Vaccine Allocation by Phase

Note: Doses for Los Angeles County are allocated separately by CDC

Table 2. Number of JYNNEOS vaccine doses allocated to, and received by, Local Health Jurisdictions as of 8/16/2022

* Distributed doses have been sent or received by the respective jurisdiction
** Pasadena and Long Beach included in Los Angeles allocation
† CDPH remaining reserve doses not yet allocated​​