• Letters from CAMP Rehoboth
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Advertising Information
    • Where Can I Get Letters?
    • The Write Stuff
  • Events
    • Block Party 2023
    • SUNFESTIVAL 2023
    • Women's FEST
    • CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Ensemble - Music of the Night
  • Programs
    • Arts & Culture
    • Education & Advocacy
    • Health & Wellness
    • Community Building
    • CAMP Facilities
  • About Us
    • Membership
    • Volunteers
    • Board of Directors
    • CAMP Rehoboth Staff
    • Reports and Financials
    • History
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Press
  • Resources
    • Beach Guide Directory
    • LGBTQ Resources
    • LGBTQ Providers
    • LGBTQ Delaware Data
    • Trans & Nonbinary Resources
    • BIPOC LGBTQ Resources
    • LGBTQ Local and National Resources Guide
  • Contact
  • Shop
close× Call Us 302-227-5620
close×

Search form

GA4 Tracking Code

August 19, 2022 - Health in Our Community

Monkeypox FAQs with DPH

 


On Wednesday, August 3, CAMP Rehoboth spoke with Camille Moreno-Gorrín, a senior epidemiologist with the Delaware Division of Public Health, for the latest updates on the monkeypox virus. We posed some of the most frequently asked questions from the community.


CAMP Rehoboth: How is monkeypox transmitted? Is it airborne at all?


Camille Moreno-Gorrín: Airborne transmission has not been documented. It is spread through direct contact with an infected person, especially contact with the lesions that appear during the rash period of the illness.


CR: Why is this being labeled a “men who have sex with men” (MSM) issue?


CMG: Some of the cases observed around the world and the US have been among MSM, but it is not restricted to these groups. Monkeypox is a disease that affects everyone. There was even a pediatric case reported by California. We don’t like to message that this is restricted to certain groups—it can affect anyone and is not restricted to certain sexual behaviors either.


CR: Can you expand on how the virus is transmitted through direct contact? 


CMG: Direct contact through any bodily fluids, including kissing, cuddling, and sharing drinks [could cause infection]. That’s what we’re observing in Delaware and the cases we’ve seen nationally. Primarily, it’s been sexual transmission, although we’ve seen persons become infected without any sort of sexual interaction. 


CR: What about surface contact?


CMG: It’s possible, but lower risk. It’s not highly transmissible through inanimate objects, but it’s still a risk. We take that into consideration when speaking with persons who’ve had close contact with an infection. We ask if they’ve had close contact with linens—a hotel room or something where the linens are soiled. We take that into consideration.

CR: What precautions should be made ahead of large-scale events? 


CMG: The most important thing to highlight is public awareness. It’s important to highlight: “if you feel sick, stay home.” There are some symptoms that come before the rash, so people should look at whether they’re feeling feverish, have a running nose, or feel fatigued. The rash can appear two to four days after those symptoms appear. So monitoring, knowing your body, and knowing if you were exposed to someone with a rash [are important preventative steps]. If your partner tells you that they think they have a rash, then try to get tested. Take the proper precautions before attending that event. 


CR: Where can people get tested? 


CMG: People should visit their primary care doctor as their first choice. There is the option to get tested via our public health clinics here in Delaware for people who are un- or under-insured. Commercial labs such as LabCorp and Quest are also conducting tests. That’s been a great help to us at the health department to expand testing opportunities.


CR: How exactly can uninsured persons get tested? 


CMG: The preferred route at this moment is to call our office at 1-888-295-5156. We can screen callers and can identify whether they have high risk factors—for example, if they have HIV or are on HIV PrEP. We can identify whether they have symptoms that are compatible with monkeypox, and then we’ll refer them to one of our clinics.


CR: Why doesn’t Delaware have a vaccine when other states do? Are we going to get a vaccine? 


CMG: The number of vaccine allocations that states get depends on the number of cases that they have and the concern of the disease in the community. We do not have a large number of cases. We have received three allocations of vaccine in Delaware [Ed. note: each allocation includes multiple doses of the vaccine], but it is being prioritized for persons who have been exposed to monkeypox (post-exposure prophylaxis; PEP) and to persons that belong to high-risk groups (they are HIV positive, or they have partners on HIV PrEP, or they reported having multiple sexual partners in the past 21 days). We take into consideration those high-risk factors, we screen them, and then we refer them. Unfortunately, it’s not something that’s widely available in the community, but we’re getting there. It depends on the allocation of cases. 


CR: Why are persons who are HIV positive and persons on HIV PrEP most likely to get infected with monkeypox?


CMG: It’s the commonality in risk factors and risk behaviors that are identified in this outbreak that has been spreading via sexual contact. HIV also is predominately spread through sexual contact. Due to those commonalities, we want to make sure we are addressing those groups. We can assume that someone on HIV PrEP is more susceptible to being exposed to HIV.


CR: Can you clarify the difference between PEP in reference to the monkeypox vaccine vs HIV PrEP?


CMG: HIV PrEP and HIV PEP are both different from PrEP and PEP for monkeypox. They are different treatments. 
 

‹ August 19, 2022 - Words Matter by Clarence Fluker up August 19, 2022 - Health & Wellness by Robb Mapou ›

Past Issues

Issues Index

  • February 4, 2022 - Issue Index
  • March 4, 2022 - Issue Index
  • April 1, 2022 - Issue Index
  • May 6, 2022 - Issue Index
  • May 27, 2022 - Issue Index
  • June 17, 2022 - Issue Index
  • July 8, 2022 - Issue Index
  • July 29, 2022 - Issue Index
  • August 19, 2022 - Issue Index
    • August 19, 2022 - Cover to Cover with Issuu
    • August 19, 2022 - From the Editor by Marj Shannon
    • August 19, 2022 - In Brief
    • August 19, 2022 - President's View by Wesley Combs
    • August 19, 2022 - SUNFESTIVAL Auction 2022
    • August 19, 2022 - Judy Gold Headlines SUNFESTIVAL 2022 by Nancy Sakaduski
    • August 19, 2022 - CAMP News
    • August 19, 2022 - Out & About by Eric C. Peterson
    • August 19, 2022 - The Way We Were by Fay Jacobs
    • August 19, 2022 - Community News
    • August 19, 2022 - Training CAMP by Jon Adler Kaplan
    • August 19, 2022 - Words Matter by Clarence Fluker
    • August 19, 2022 - Health in Our Community
    • August 19, 2022 - Health & Wellness by Robb Mapou
    • August 19, 2022 - Health & Wellness: Classes + Events
    • August 19, 2022 - Guest House Chronicles by Tom Kelch
    • August 19, 2022 - Volunteer Spotlight by Glenn Lash
    • August 19, 2022 - Head Out on the Highway by Michael Gilles
    • August 19, 2022 - It's My Life by Michael Thomas Ford
    • August 19, 2022 - Celebrating Tom Wilson by Eric Peterson
    • August 19, 2022 - Dining Out by Fay Jacobs
    • August 19, 2022 - The Real Dirt by Eric W. Wahl
    • August 19, 2022 - Celebrity Interview by Chris Azzopardi
    • August 19, 2022 - Historical Headliners by Ann Aptaker
    • August 19, 2022 - CAMPshots
    • August 19, 2022 - The Sea Salt Table by Ed Castelli
    • August 29, 2022 - OUTlook by Beth Shockley
    • August 19, 2022 - Spotlight on the Arts by Doug Yetter
    • August 19, 2022 - Booked Solid by Terri Schlichenmeyer
    • August 19, 2022 - Straight Talk by David Garrett
    • August 19, 2022 - View Point by Richard J. Rosendall
    • August 19, 2022 - Deep Inside Hollywood by Romeo San Vicente
    • August 19, 2022 - Dog Days by Pattie Cinelli
    • August 19, 2022 - We Remember
  • September 16, 2022 - Issue Index
  • October 14, 2022 - Issue Index
  • November 18, 2022 - Issue Index
  • December 16, 2022 - Issue Index

Follow Us

Follow us on Social Media!

RECEIVE WEEKLY EMAIL

Information

  • Letters
  • Events
  • About Us
  • CAMP Center

Support CAMP

  • CAMP Membership
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Copyright © CAMP Rehoboth, 2023
  • p. 302-227-5620
  • info@camprehoboth.com
  • 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971