The Dekalb County Board of Health opened up appointments to receive a monkeypox vaccination Friday, but the slots were all taken within 15 minutes.
The health department offered 240 appointments to the public on their website Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. By 7:45 a.m., all 240 appointment times had been filled.
The supply of monkeypox vaccines is still extremely limited, although more has recently been released by the federal government.
Monkeypox Vaccination Event by Appointment Only. Limited appointments will be available through the Board of Health beginning early Thursday, August 4, 2022. The registration link will be published on our website https://t.co/sNjwLkpsuw and all of our social media channels. pic.twitter.com/Gtxzaulby8
— DeKalb County (GA) Board of Health (@HealthyDeKalb) August 3, 2022
More appointments will be offered online later in DeKalb, as more vaccines become available, health officials said.
Georgia continues to see soaring demand for the monkeypox vaccine, which can both prevent an infection and be used to treat one.
On the heels of complaints last week that vaccinations were nearly impossible to schedule, local county health departments have taken to social media to inform the community about vaccination events and partnered with community health organizations to deliver the shots.
The number of monkeypox cases in Georgia rose to 504 Thursday and includes four women, according to DPH. So far, there have been no children diagnosed with monkeypox in Georgia, although children have been diagnosed elsewhere in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia is fifth in the nation for the number of cases. Cases in the state have grown swiftly — on July 1 Georgia reported 11 cases.
While most cases have been confirmed in men who have sex with men, anyone can be affected by the virus.
Read CDC’s updated recommendations for people with #monkeypox. If you have monkeypox, isolate until your rash has fully healed. If you need to go out, cover your rash, wear a well-fitting mask, and avoid public transportation. Learn more: https://t.co/q2CNaAY2mx. pic.twitter.com/UFCI7gJKri
— CDC (@CDCgov) August 1, 2022
How to get the monkeypox vaccine
Local health departments in Georgia have started administering the vaccine at the health departments and they are holding vaccination clinics. Here’s where to get more information:
For Gwinnett County, go to gnrhealth.com/
For DeKalb County, go to dekalbhealth.net/
For Fulton County, go to fultoncountyga.gov/ and then click on health services
For Cobb County, go to cobbanddouglaspublichealth.com/
For Clayton County, go to https://www.claytoncountypublichealth.org/
