Mecklenburg County Public Health to Distribute Mpox Vaccine at Charlotte Pride
Free vaccine available as World Health Organization Declares Public Health Emergency
Mecklenburg County Public Health will be offering free mpox vaccines at the Charlotte Pride Festival this weekend as the World Health Organization recently declared mpox a global public health emergency based on an ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo related to a strain of mpox that can cause more serious complications.
“While the overall risk from mpox in our community remains really low, we encourage those who are at higher risk to remain vigilant and take precautions to stay safe and healthy,” said Dr. Raynard Washington, Public Health Director. “The vaccine remains the best tool we have to protect health and prevent serious complications from mpox.”
The Mecklenburg County Public Health mobile unit will be at Charlotte Pride this Saturday from noon - 6 p.m. and Sunday from 2 - 6 p.m. at the corner of W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and S. Tryon St. to offer free mpox vaccines and other health services including STI testing.
Mpox vaccinations are also available at Public Health clinic locations. People can call 704-336-6500 to make an appointment or walk in any time during business hours.
Vaccination can protect against mpox infection from both Clades I and II and can reduce severity of illness if infection does occur.
This year, there have been 41 confirmed cases of mpox in Mecklenburg County. No cases related to the current outbreak have been reported in Mecklenburg County or the United States.
The following are common symptoms for mpox:
- Fever and/or chills
- Headache and/or body aches
- Swollen lymph nodes (tender lumps near the neck, jaw, armpits, and groin)
- Exhaustion
- A skin rash on any part of the body, including the genitals, with lesions (sores)
- Rash can be as small as one or two bumps or cover the entire body
- Lesions can look like bumps, warts, pimples, sores, or scabs