Colorado administers more than 250 doses of vaccine against monkeypox

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The monkeypox outbreak has Colorado on high alert after seven cases were identified.

“So we certainly hope that we won’t see much more spread in Colorado, but that depends on people’s activities and whether we can get people vaccinated if they’ve been exposed,” said Rachel Burmeister.

This week the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has used its limited supply of federal vaccines against monkeypox. It administered more than 250 doses to Coloradans at high risk of exposure to the disease.

According to the health department, those with a greater chance of monkeypox are gay and bisexual who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days, but it’s not exclusive to this group. Anyone can get monkeypox through close contact.

“Transmission occurs when you’re in direct contact with those pimples or blisters,” added Burmeister. “So any activities where people are in that close contact, so medical professionals that may have contact with people’s skin or other activities that bring people too close together.”

The two-dose vaccine is called Jynneos. It’s FDA-approved, and health experts say the vaccine can help individuals from getting sick if administered within four days of exposure. If received after exposure, it can help prevent severe illnesses.

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