What You Need to Know About Monkeypox

Across the United States, thousands have been infected with monkeypox. The spread has been labeled an outbreak and that naturally sparks public concern. Learn more about who is at risk and how we protect ourselves, our community members and our loved ones.

It is important to understand that viruses are not choosy. They simply seek a host. That’s true of monkeypox, just like any other virus. To help stop the spread, we must first remove the stigma around monkeypox. Anyone is susceptible – regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

What’s clear is that monkeypox is contracted and spreads through skin-to-skin contact. Identifying and minimizing high-risk behaviors and situations is the best defense against contracting disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), actions that increase risk of contracting monkeypox include:

• Close contact with a person or persons diagnosed with monkeypox, or with a person or persons with a similar-appearing rash.
• Close or intimate in-person contact with others in a social network experiencing monkeypox infections. Social networks can include people met through bars, parties, websites or apps.
• Sexual intercourse or intimate activity with multiple partners in areas with known occurrences of monkeypox.
• Travel outside the United States to a country with confirmed cases of monkeypox or where monkeypox is endemic within 21 days of illness onset.
• Occupational exposure to monkeypox or other orthopoxviruses, such as among laboratory workers performing testing or some public health workers. In these instances, proper use of personal protective equipment will help reduce risk.

As with any infectious disease, you can practice the pillars of infection prevention and control: Wash your hands, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and face, and avoid contact with others when you are sick. To lower your risk of contracting monkeypox, avoid prolonged physical contact, contact with respiratory secretions and contact with objects or fabrics used by someone with monkeypox.

The University of Kansas Health System has received a limited number of vaccine doses in Kansas City. The health system is administering vaccines to patients who meet eligibility criteria. At this time, the CDC recommends vaccination for:

• People who know that a sex partner in the past 14 days received a monkeypox diagnosis. 
• People who have had multiple sex partners in the past 14 days in an area with known monkeypox. 
• People who report any of the following in the past 14 days: 
  • Group sex or sex with multiple partners. 
  • Sex at a commercial sex venue or in association with an event, venue or defined geographic area where monkeypox transmission has been reported.

We are committed to high-quality care for all. If you are a current health system patient and believe you meet any of the eligibility qualifications, reach out to your primary care physician or provider (phone, text or MyChart message) for more information.

We must work together to stop the stigma associated with this illness and put health first. We strongly encourage those who are high risk or concerned to speak openly with their healthcare providers.