BALTIMORE — People living in Maryland can now pre-register for the monkeypox vaccine. The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) launched a new website on Thursday where you can sign up.
“This pre-registration system is another step to ensure that Marylanders can access the tools to stay protected from human monkeypox,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader in a press statement. “Keeping impacted residents healthy and safe remain our top priorities.”
The new vaccine pre-registration system will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People who register through the system and are determined to be eligible for the vaccine will receive an email invitation to make an appointment through their local health department.
To date, Maryland has received 14,539 vials of JYNNEOS vaccine from the federal government. MDH has worked closely with local health departments to implement intradermal injections, meaning three to five doses from each vial. Those vaccines are available to any eligible individual in any jurisdiction. The pre-registration system continues MDH and local health department efforts to provide easier access for eligible Marylanders to opt-in and mitigate the spread of monkeypox.
The vaccination pre-registration system is intended for Maryland residents who meet one of the following criteria:
Self-identified close contact of a person with monkeypox
Impacted community member with potential monkeypox exposures in the prior 2 weeks
Vaccinations to prevent monkeypox disease are free. Pre-registration is for the first monkeypox vaccine dose only. Subsequent doses will be coordinated for each individual by the first dose provider.
MDH urges interested Maryland residents to still pre-register even if they do not meet the current vaccination eligibility criteria. If eligibility expands, people who have already pre-registered will be notified of available appointments.