Milwaukee Health Department fills all 200 monkeypox vaccine appointments, more to be made available

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) announced Wednesday, Aug. 3, it has filled the initial appointments for the monkeypox vaccine.

The city received 200 doses. It is a two-dose series, but Emily Tau with MHD said 200 people will get the vaccine initially to protect as many people as possible.

The Department of Health Services said there are about 22 monkeypox cases in the state. Milwaukee has two. Health experts say the risk to the public for monkeypox is still low but getting vaccines to certain groups of people is a priority.

"We have made sure that all of the vaccine that has been allocated to us from the federal government has been distributed to the hubs in our state that can safely store the vaccine and out to the folks," Karen Timberlake with DHS said.

The Milwaukee Health Department is collaborating with multiple organizations and clinics to distribute the 200 doses it received. Those vaccines are available by appointment only and so far all appointments for those vaccines have already been filled. As MHD receives more supply, more appointments will be made available and communicated to the public.

"We believe we are on top of this, and we also know that it will continue to evolve and change and we will evolve and change with it," Timberlake said.

Timberlake said the state is doing what it can to receive as many doses as it can. The Cudahy Health Department also received 200 doses. It started its mass vaccination clinic Wednesday.

"If you believe you've been exposed to someone with monkeypox, step one is call your healthcare provider or call your local public health department," Timberlake said.

Vaccine is open to individuals 18 years and older who live or work in Wisconsin and meet at least one of the following criteria:

• People who had skin-to-skin contact with an individual diagnosed with monkeypox in the past 14 days.
• People who attended an event or venue where there was known monkeypox exposure in the past 14 days.
• Gay, bisexual, trans, and any other men who have sex with men, who had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days.

To book a vaccine appointment with Milwaukee, CLICK HERE.