© 2024 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Wisconsin set to receive nearly 6,000 vials of Monkeypox vaccine

pixabay.com

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services will follow recently FDA guidelines for the Monkeypox vaccine.

There have been 32 cases of the virus confirmed in Wisconsin.

Typically, the vaccine for it is two doses into the fat, which is typical for a vaccine.

Now the FDA has authorized doses to be split five ways and injected between layers of skin.

“That strategy in this carefully conducted study showed that the response rate in terms of antibody generation was similar in both the traditional under the skin and into the skin. In the case of an emergency, this strategy could be relied on to vaccinate five times as many people,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard.

Wisconsin has requested the maximum amount of the vaccine the federal government is allowing.

Nearly 6,000 vials have been allocated to the state. With the new FDA authorization that could vaccination more than 29,000 people.

While the vaccine will be distributed throughout the state, those at highest risk of getting the virus have priority.

“CDC and Wisconsin data from the current outbreak show that the virus is disproportionately impacting some members of the LGBTQ community with the highest numbers of infections occurring among men who have sex with men as well as transgender and non-binary individuals,” said Westergaard.

Westergaard wants to make sure people are aware anyone can get the virus, not just people in the groups he mentioned.

You can contact your local health care provider or health department to see if you’re eligible for the vaccine and how to get an appointment.

More than 600 doses have been administered in Wisconsin so far.

Up North Updates
* indicates required
Related Content