Monkeypox symptoms and vaccines: Tennessee doctor on what to know - Knoxville News Sentinel

The viral disease has infected over 9,000 people in the United States, many cases coming after the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency in July.

Eric Penniman: It’s mostly spread through close and intimate contact with somebody who has it.

(Monkeypox) does not spread rapidly because you have to have very close intimate contact, typically.

Now somebody coughs on you and you're in close proximity, there's a chance that you could get infected as well.

Family members in close contact with somebody who is infected should take caution, for sure.

Although, there is a possibility that it could be spread through direct contact with the respiratory secretions of somebody infected.

The high-risk people are the ones that we’re most focused on, communicating to and beginning to vaccinate those in the high-risk category because the whole point of declaring a public health emergency is so that we can increase the communication and get those people vaccinated who are in high-risk groups so that hopefully we can stop spread altogether.

Right now, I think the only place to get the vaccine is through (the Knox County Health Department).

If you think you have been in contact with somebody (infected), get a hold of your physician or your local health department right away so that appropriate measures can be taken.

Vaccines for monkeypox are available at the Knox County Health Department but supply is limited and those who are high-risk should look get vaccinated

Call the health department at 865-215-5000 for more information about monkeypox vaccine access and monkeypox information