PREVENTING MPOX

Mpox is a contagious rash illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is spread primarily through close personal contact with someone who has mpox. Symptoms are usually mild but can be severe. The best way to prevent mpox is by getting vaccinated with both doses.

Mpox is a contagious rash illness caused by the monkeypox virus.

Get Vaccinated!

  • The JYNNEOS vaccine is recommended for prevention of mpox. Getting both doses provides the best protection. You should get two doses 4 weeks apart.
  • Even if it has been longer than 4 weeks since you got the first vaccine dose, you should get the second dose as soon as possible.
  • If you previously recovered from mpox, you do not need the vaccine.
  • Use the Mpox Vaccine Locator to find nearby healthcare locations that provide mpox vaccinations.
  • Check with your healthcare provider if the mpox vaccine is recommended for you.

Learn steps you can take to lower your risk of mpox during sex or at a social gathering.

  • If you are at risk for mpox but haven’t received your two-dose vaccine yet, consider temporarily changing activities that involve close personal contact (such as sex).


  • A rave, party, or club where there is minimal clothing and where there is direct, personal, often skin-to-skin contact has some risk. Avoid any rash you see on others and consider minimizing skin-to-skin contact.

Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like mpox and animals that carry the monkeypox virus.

VIEW EXAMPLES

Examples of Mpox Rashes. Photo credit: UK Health Security Agency This might include skin with what appears to be a rash, pimples, blisters, or scabs.


  • The rash might appear on the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth and other areas like on the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, vagina). Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with mpox.


  • Do not kiss, hug, cuddle, or have sex with someone with mpox.


  • In areas where mpox is endemic (found naturally), particularly in Central or West Africa, avoid contact with animals that can carry the monkeypox virus, such as rodents and primates. Direct contact with infected animals can also pose a risk of exposure to the virus.

Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with mpox has used.

  • Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with mpox.


  • Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with mpox.


Wash your hands often.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.


  • Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect you, your family, and your friends from getting sick.

Find mpox vaccines near you with our updated vaccine finder!

Get the vaccine if you

Are a gay, bisexual, or other same-gender loving man who has sex with men or are transgender, gender non-binary, or gender-diverse AND in the last 6 months you have had, or expect to have

  • One or more sexually transmitted infections
  • More than one sexual partner, or anonymous sexual or intimate contact
  • Sex at a commercial sex venue
  • Sex in association with a large public event in a geographic area where mpox transmission is occurring

Get the vaccine if you

  • Have had sexual or intimate contact with a person who is at risk of mpox as described above
  • Have had sexual or intimate contact with someone who may have mpox. Get vaccinated as soon as possible after exposure, regardless of your sexual or gender identity.

Get both doses of the vaccine

Unless there is a medical reason you cannot get the vaccine, like a severe allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) after a previous dose or a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine component.

Mpox vaccines are effective at protecting you from mpox.

Two doses provide the best protection. Get dose 1, wait 4 weeks, and then get dose 2. If you can’t get your second dose on time, you should get it as soon as possible to complete the series. You will have maximum protection two weeks after your second dose.


Read more about the vaccine, how it’s given, side effects, and where to get it at Mpox Vaccine Recommendations.

VIEW RECOMMENDATIONS

How long do mpox symptoms last?

Typically, Mpox symptoms start within 21 days of exposure to the virus. If you have flu-like symptoms, you will likely develop a rash 1–4 days later. If you have symptoms, such as a rash, visit a healthcare provider.


A person with Mpox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.


New data show that some people can spread Mpox to others from one to four days before their symptoms appear. It’s not clear how many people this has affected during the ongoing global outbreak that began in 2022. There is currently no evidence showing that people who never have symptoms have spread the virus to someone else. CDC will continue to monitor the latest information about how Mpox spreads.

HOW MPOX SPREADS
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