How to stop monkeypox from spreading in Stanislaus County. ‘We can slow this down’
Alexander Silva is in the vanguard of efforts to keep the monkeypox illness from getting a foothold in Stanislaus County.
Silva said it’s crucial to get LGBTQ community members to take precautions and for eligible people to get vaccinated against monkeypox.
“If we all receive the proper information and prevention measures in the CDC guidelines, there is a good chance we can slow this down,” said Silva, the health and equity director for the Central California LGBTQ Collaborative. “We really have to do the footwork and help people understand let’s be more preventative to keep our youth and elders safe.”
The LGBTQ collaborative is holding a vaccine clinic Friday limited by the scarce supply of JYNNEOS vaccine and strict eligibility criteria. By Thursday afternoon, registration for the appointment-only clinic was closed.
As the state allocates more vaccine, county health officials are hoping for broader access to the two-shot vaccine series given four weeks apart.
As of Tuesday, 282 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine had been distributed to Stanislaus County’s health agency. The doses come from the 110,000 vials the federal government has provided to California, though this county is not considered a “hot zone” for monkeypox.
Monkeypox primarily has spread among gay and bisexual men, but Silva stressed it’s not a sexually transmitted disease and can be spread in ways other than intimate contact.
Silva said the current route for monkeypox is community members going to monkeypox “hot zones” in San Francisco or Los Angeles, where they may attend gay culture activities or see friends, contract the virus and return home.
He said it’s important for people to modify behavior for safer encounters and safer hookups.
Silva said he is taking additional measures to keep from catching the virus. He said he gets tested for HIV and STDs and now will get the monkeypox vaccine.
The county Health Services Agency and nonprofit groups are using social media platforms and other means to spread information about symptoms and precautions.
Silva said they’re in communication with two or three bars catering to gay customers, which were open to help inform and educate community members using their social media sites.
How many cases in Stanislaus?
Stanislaus County has recorded nine cases of monkeypox, according to a public health update Wednesday.
The first local cases were people who had traveled outside the county, but at least one case has resulted from community transmission, public health spokeswoman Kamlesh Kaur said Wednesday.
No one has been hospitalized for monkeypox in the Modesto area, she said.
“The state has an emergency declaration so hopefully community members will take precautions as cases are increasing,” Kaur said.
Stanislaus County public health vaccinated 52 people at limited vaccine clinics last week, which were restricted to those meeting eligibility requirements. All of the county’s allocated vaccine doses on hand were used at the Aug. 11-12 clinics, Kaur said.
Some eligible people were put on a waiting list until more vaccine is shipped to the county, Kaur said. The county received additional doses this week and expected more to arrive before Friday’s clinic.
People infected with monkeypox may first have flulike symptoms and enlarged lymph nodes, followed a few days later by a rash with painful blisters or pimples. Infected individuals rarely are hospitalized.
The illness may last two to four weeks. Some people may only experience a few of the symptoms, the California Department of Public Health said.
The total number of cases in California rose to 2,356 in an update Wednesday from the state Department of Public Health, an increase from 1,733 last week.
The state has no reported deaths, but 57 people have been hospitalized due to monkeypox.
Vaccine is distributed
The federal government has sent about 110,000 vials of vaccine for monkeypox to California, which includes 43,300 sent directly to the Los Angeles area, leaving about 65,000 vials for other counties.
Los Angeles and San Francisco have recorded 853 and 565 cases, respectively. San Joaquin County has reported eight cases. There are no cases in Merced or Tuolumne counties, according to state data.
The virus primarily has spread among gay and bisexual individuals, who have represented 94.5% of cases in California. According to state data, 4.7% or 82 cases were heterosexual people. The statewide case total included 2,280 men (97.7%) and 28 women.
The vast majority of monkeypox cases (2,042) were in the 25-to-54 age group. Six cases were young people under 18 years old and 22 were adults 65 years or older.
The California Department of Public Health recommends several measures to prevent the spread of monkeypox virus: Avoid physical contact, such as hugging, kissing and sex with people who have monkeypox symptoms; talk to sexual partners about any recent illness; don’t share eating utensils or cups with an infected person; and don’t touch bedding, towels or clothing that’s been in contact with someone infected with monkeypox.
The state also recommends washing hands often with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer.
This story was originally published August 19, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
