An independent news publication of
United Way of Lancaster County

Search

Monkeypox confirmed in Lancaster County; vaccination begins

Lancaster General Hospital. (Source: LG Health)

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health is beginning to roll out monkeypox vaccine to individuals at high risk for the disease.

This Saturday, the health system is holding a monkeypox vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its Comprehensive Care Center at Lancaster General Hospital. Pre-registration was required, and all slots are full.

LG Health confirmed to LNP newspaper this week that it is treating cases of monkeypox in Lancaster County. The health system has posted an FAQ about the disease on its website.

WellSpan Health also is treating monkeypox cases in its coverage area in south-central Pennsylvania but did not say if any cases were in Lancaster County.

Because vaccine supplies are limited, LG Health is prioritizing vaccination for high-risk individuals, in line with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, health system spokeswoman Marcie Brody said.

For future clinics, “we will continue to communicate with the individuals who meet the CDC’s guidelines to receive the vaccine,” Brody said.

Monkeypox has been spreading primarily among gay and bisexual men. The state Health Department says it is prioritizing vaccination for:

  • Individuals who had contact with someone with monkeypox;
  • Individuals who know that one of their sexual partners in the past two weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox;
  • Individuals who had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks in an area with confirmed monkeypox cases.

As of Thursday afternoon, the CDC was reporting 10,768 cases of monkeypox nationwide on its website, including 282 in Pennsylvania.