Monkeypox: NJ tries to combat false info on who can get it and how – NorthJersey.com
As soon as monkeypox cases rose in the U.S. this summer and the disease entered the public consciousness, wild —and false — claims began to spread almost as fast as the virus: It’s only sexually transmitted, only gay men can get it, the virus is new and was created in a lab as a bioweapon, it’s a mutation of COVID-19.
But such errant claims have become so rampant online that the New Jersey Department of Homeland Security has added monkeypox to its “Disinformation Portal” — a website that seeks to counter “any truth-obscuring, manufactured information” spread via social media and other sources.
As with COVID-19, monkeypox has touched political and cultural nerves, while also spawning a tidal wave of false information. “With the latest monkeypox outbreak, we want to avoid a repeat of events, where incorrect information spreads quickly across communities,” said Laurie Doran, the Homeland Security director.
The portal’s page on monkeypox doesn’t go in-depth on debunking myths surrounding monkeypox. So here’s a Q&A on some basic questions about the virus.
Who can get monkeypox?
Anyone can.
But the vast majority of those infected thus far are gay and bisexual men, according to multiple health organizations and studies.
Health officials have been trying to balance giving out clear scientific information as they learn it while also avoiding the stigmatization, condemnation and homophobia that erupted in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis, when the virus was incorrectly labeled a “gay disease.”
In New Jersey, men make up 98% of monkeypox cases so far. More than 90% of cases involve people between the ages of 18 and 49.
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Can you get it through sex?
Absolutely.
Sex is believed to be the driving form of transmission for the outbreak. A New England Journal of Medicine report found that 95% of 528 patients studied became infected through sexual activity.
But it’s not just a sexually transmitted disease.
You can get monkeypox with almost any kind of skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, especially if it’s prolonged. This includes hugging, cuddling, wrestling and other activities that don’t involve genitalia.
Monkeypox most commonly manifests itself as blisters on the face, hands, feet, chest, genitals, anus or other body parts that can last for weeks. The blisters can be itchy and painful and can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms including fever and aches. It’s contagious until the rash has healed.
You can also get it from touching fabrics that someone with monkeypox has used, such as clothing, towels or linens.
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Is monkeypox fatal?
Few people have died globally from this variant of the virus. And there have been no U.S. deaths so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But as with most viruses, those with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to severe illness. Others at risk include young children, people with a history of eczema and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
In New Jersey, 28 people had been hospitalized out of 441 probable or confirmed cases as of Monday.
An antiviral medication known as tecovirimat (TPOXX) is sometimes recommended for people who are more likely to get severely ill from monkeypox.
Is monkeypox new?
No.
The first human case was reported in 1970. It’s been circulating in parts of Africa for decades, but was rarely seen elsewhere across the globe.
Monkeypox is caused by a virus in the orthopox family, which also includes smallpox.
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Who is eligible in New Jersey for a monkeypox vaccine?
Monkeypox vaccines are in short supply, and New Jersey is trying to limit eligibility to the following:
- People who have had contact with someone who tested positive for monkeypox in the past 14 days.
- People who attended an event where monkeypox exposure occurred within the past 14 days.
- People who have had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days.
Demand for vaccinations remains high. As of Monday, 8,795 people in New Jersey had received a monkeypox shot, up from 6,679 a week ago.
About 90% of those receiving a vaccine in New Jersey are men.
Vaccine sites can be found here.
Is monkeypox spreading in New Jersey?
The number of new cases in New Jersey peaked the week before July 24, when 91 were reported.
Since then, the weekly numbers have declined to 82 on July 31 and 63 on Aug. 7.
Health officials have attributed that to vaccination and preventive measures, but they caution that the virus could rebound.