The headlines over the last several weeks have been focusing on monkeypox, but what is monkeypox, and how can you contract it?
Those are the questions we asked Manitowoc County Health Officer Stephanie Lambert.
She explained that the monkeypox virus is similar to smallpox, but it is typically found in animals.
“Occasionally it bleeds from animals to humans, but up until these last few months it didn’t spread human to human very frequently,” Lambert revealed. “It’s quite unusual that we are seeing this transmission among the human population.”
For those fearing another pandemic, Lambert explained “It’s not like COVID. It’s not easy to catch unless you are touching someone skin to skin, often in a place where there are open lesions.”
If you believe you have been exposed to monkeypox, Lambert says it is very important to call your doctor immediately and call the local health department.
Lambert said that they can “get you a vaccine if it’s between 4 to 14 days following exposure. That vaccine can prevent infection or make it a little less severe.”
For more information on the Monkeypox virus, you can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
