WACO, Texas — The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District is now offering McLennan County residents the monkeypox vaccine, but by appointment only.
Residents are being offered JYNNEOS, which is in limited supply, the district added. It is given in two doses about a month apart.
On Tuesday, the health district reported 10 people in the county currently have monkeypox, which is an infectious virus that's part of the same family of the smallpox virus. It can spread by skin-to-skin contact, as well as touching objects, fabrics and surfaces that have been touched or used by someone with monkeypox, according to the CDC.
Those with monkeypox can get a rash anywhere on the body, which could initially look like pimples or blisters and can be painful or itchy, the CDC said.
Other symptoms include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Exhaustion
- Muscle aches and backache
- Headache
- Respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough
Symptoms usually last two-to-four weeks.
You can schedule an appointment for the monkeypox vaccine here.