Prince George's County residents can now pre-register for monkeypox vaccine

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The Prince George’s County Health Department is now accepting pre-registrations from county residents to be vaccinated against monkeypox.

Individuals who have pre-registered will receive email and text invitations to schedule their appointments as they become available.

Anyone is able to pre-register for a vaccine appointment, but Prince George's County health officials say you may not receive an appointment unless you meet at least one of the following criteria:

- Individuals who have been identified as close contacts to laboratory-confirmed monkeypox cases through public health contact tracing investigations.

- Presumed contacts that know their sex partners were diagnosed in the past 14 days or have had multiple sex partners in the past 14 days in a jurisdiction with known monkeypox cases.

- Healthcare workers who may have been exposed to a known case and Laboratory Response Network or other laboratory staff working directly with monkeypox testing.

"Right now, the Health Department is vaccinating residents with the highest risk of contracting monkeypox to avoid further community spread. If you notice a rash or sores anywhere on your body that look like monkeypox, I highly recommend you speak with a health care provider about getting evaluated and tested for monkeypox, even if you don’t think you had contact with someone who has monkeypox," said Prince George’s County Health Officer Dr. Ernest Carter. "It’s also important to avoid all sexual activity with others or be around other people if you have monkeypox symptoms or if you have been diagnosed with monkeypox. It typically takes anywhere from two to four weeks for the sores to scab over, fall off, and develop a new layer of skin, thus ending your infectious period. If you need to go out, cover your rash, wear a well-fitting face mask, and avoid public transportation."

For more information and guidance about monkeypox and to pre-register for the vaccine, visit the county health department’s monkeypox page.