Department of Health expands eligibility for monkeypox vaccine

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Health announced on Thursday that eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine has expanded.

Earlier this month, Gov. Dan McKee announced that the state would start offering the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine.

Initially, people were only eligible for the vaccine if they were a close contact, or are an adult man who has had multiple or anonymous sexual partners in the last 30 days and identifies as gay, bisexual queer, or has sex with men and/or transgender people.

Now, people eligible to get the vaccine, include:

• People of any gender who are commercial sex workers
• People who work in or have sex in group or public sex venues

According to the department, the virus can spread through close physical contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores , or through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact.

The vaccine is two doses, administered 28 days apart.

As of Aug. 4, there are 40 confirmed monkeypox cases in Rhode Island.

The World Health Organization announced Thursday that the number of monkeypox cases dropped by 21% globally in the last week, reversing a month-long trend of rising infections.