Harris County to receive more doses of monkeypox vaccine after child presumed positive for virus

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County is expecting a new shipment of monkeypox vaccines Thursday, and the increased shots come at a good time as Chambers County announced its first positive case Wednesday. We're also still waiting for the test results to come back on the presumed positive child under 2 years old in Harris County.

SEE RELATED STORY: Child under 2 in Harris County presumed positive for monkeypox

Officials have recently expanded eligibility to individuals living with HIV and anyone diagnosed with chlamydia. Before that, vaccines were available for anyone considered high risk or had potentially been exposed to someone with the virus.

The vaccine requires two doses and has recently been approved by the FDA for intradermal injections, which allow one vial to provide five doses and still be as effective.

The vaccines are stored in regular freezer temperatures and are good for up to eight weeks after being removed from a freezer into a fridge.

The Houston Health Department says the threat of monkeypox in the city remains low. The virus is rare and does not spread easily between people without close, personal skin-to-skin contact.

The vaccine is available by appointment only. You can visit the Houston Health Department's website or call 832-393-4220 to set up an appointment.

"The way it's spreading is close skin-to-skin contact. It can spread other ways, but we're not seeing a whole lot of it yet. Respiratory, foamites like shirts, blankets, towels. Not seeing a lot of it, but there are some cases," said Dr. David Persse, with the Houston Health Department.

The vaccine is free and is provided by the federal government.

SEE ALSO: Monkeypox: Everything you need to know about symptoms, spread, treatment and vaccines

For more on this story, follow Brhe Berry on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.