The U.S. government has two stockpiled vaccines—JYNNEOS and ACAM2000—that can prevent Monkeypox in people who are exposed to the virus.
The preferred vaccine to protect against Mpox is JYNNEOS, which is a two-dose vaccine. It takes 14 days after getting the second dose of JYNNEOS for its immune protection to reach its maximum.
JYNNEOS (also called Imvamune or Imvanex) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to prevent Mpox infection if you are 18 years or older.
• If given before exposure or within 4 days of exposure, JYNNEOS may reduce the chance of infection. If given between 5 and 14 days after exposure, it may lower the severity of symptoms.
REMEMBER – You will not be fully vaccinated and getting the most benefit from this vaccine until 2 weeks after your second shot of JYNNEOS.
The ACAM2000 vaccine may be an alternative to JYNNEOS. ACAM2000 is a single-dose vaccine, and it takes four weeks after vaccination for its immune protection to reach its maximum. However, it has the potential for more side effects and adverse events than JYNNEOS. It is not recommended for people with severely weakened immune systems and several other conditions.
People should take precautions to reduce their exposure to Mpox until immune protection from vaccines has reached its maximum. Consult your healthcare provider to see if you should get vaccinated against Mpox, and if you should receive ACAM2000 instead of JYNNEOS.
