Northeast Region County Health Department announces hours for Monkeypox vaccine
Published 3:45 pm Wednesday, August 24, 2022
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JOHNSON CITY – The Northeast Region Health Office announces local health departments are providing the monkeypox vaccine to those eligible to be vaccinated, please call your local Health Department for more information on receiving a vaccination.
“The good news is that if you have been exposed to the virus, following some prevention steps and getting yourself vaccinated can protect you and others from monkeypox,” said Medical Director of the Northeast Regional Health Offices, Dr. David Kirschke.
MPX Vaccination Eligibility
Those eligible to receive an MPX vaccination include:
• Anyone who has had a contact exposure to MPX, or may have been exposed, in the last 14 days should talk to their doctor or contact your local Health Department or the Tennessee Department of Health.
• Anyone who has had intimate contact with others who might have been exposed to the MPX virus.
• Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sexual relationships with men who have had multiple or anonymous partners, were diagnosed with a sexually-transmitted disease or are receiving medication to prevent HIV infection in the last 90 days.
Steps for Prevention
Taking these steps will help prevent contracting the MPX infection:
• Be aware of any changes to your body and talk to your doctor if you develop any new rash.
• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash or lesion that looks like it could be MPX.
• Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with MPX has used.
• Wash your hands often. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer. Hand-washing can protect against MPX and other infections such as COVID and flu.
“While monkeypox is a serious infection, we don’t want people to be alarmed,” Dr. David Kirschke said. “Rather, we want everyone to be educated and empowered as to how they can protect and take care of themselves.”
MPX is a previously rare disease, caused by a virus that’s in the same family as smallpox but much less severe and less contagious. In some cases, people may have a flu-like illness, but it’s more commonly characterized by a rash or lesions on the body that may look little blisters or pimples or sores.
For more information about the MPX vaccine contact your health care provider or local Health Department or visit tn.gov/monkeypox.html.
Carter County
403 East G Street
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 543-2521
Greene County
810 W. Church Street
Greeneville, TN 37744
(423) 798-1749
Hancock County
178 Willow Street
Sneedville, TN 37869
(423) 733-2228
Hawkins County – Church Hill
247 Silver Lake Road
Church Hill, TN 37642
(423) 357-5341
Hawkins County – Rogersville
201 Park Blvd.
Rogersville, TN 37857
(423) 272-7641
Johnson County
715 W. Main Steet
Mountain City, TN 37683
(423) 727-9731
Unicoi County
101 Okolona Drive
Erwin, TN 37650
(423) 743-9103
Washington County
219 Princeton Road
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 975-2200
