New Jersey mom Erica, who requested not to use her family name, learned that her brother tested positive for monkeypox and her immediate thought was on the health and safety of her 3-year-old child, Cate.
The mom and daughter recently had her brother as a guest in their home in South Orange. Per the New Jersey Health Department's advice, the risk for close contact is high, especially if someone tested positive for the virus within 14 days.
The department also announced that there are 188 confirmed cases in their city, as of Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, with the majority composed of men who have sexual relationships with other men. On the other hand, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra confirmed in a news briefing that the whole country is under a monkeypox public health emergency as the number of patients continues to rise.
The health secretary urged local governments to deploy the vaccines, as the monkeypox virus may be prevented with a smallpox jab. This was how Erica was able to safeguard her health as she immediately scheduled an appointment with a vaccine provider to get her shots of JYNNEOS, the approved vaccine.
Erica's biggest worry, however, stems from the fact that the approved age for vaccination was only for individuals above 18 years old.
Vaccinating a 3-year-old for monkeypox
In an exclusive with North Jersey, Erica said that her daughter has definitely been exposed because she was very close to her brother. When he visited the mom and child in late June, Cate would often come by his uncle's bed in the morning for a cuddle. Monkeypox infection can pass on to children if they have skin-to-skin contact or share feeding utensils, bedding and towel with a positive case.
So, the mother inquired from Dr. Ashish Parikh of Summit Health Urgent Care about how to protect Cate. The doctor informed her that it was crucial to be vaccinated against monkeypox within four days after a known exposure.
"If you take it a few days beyond that you might still get the disease," the doctor said. "But it reduces the chance of it being very severe."
Due to Cate's age, Parikh needed special approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before she can be vaccinated. The doctor filed a "single-patient investigational new drug," which was immediately reviewed. As Erica and Cate had been confirmed as close contacts, they were told that specific vials will be delivered to their health care provider from the federal government.
The mom was first to get her vaccination in early July and then Cate had hers the next day when they actually got the FDA approval. They finally received their second shots on July 29 but did not develop any symptoms of monkeypox following their first shot a month before.
How monkeypox affects kids
As of press time, five children have been confirmed positive for monkeypox. Infectious disease expert Dr. Buddy Creech told Today that infected kids may experience painful lesions that they can't help scratching and may produce deep, long-term scars. They may also develop complications like brain inflammation and pneumonia, along with fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes.
However, there is a treatment for monkeypox if the infection was not prevented. TPOXX may be administered to children by their doctors. Health experts suggest a limited number of caregivers tending to a child with symptoms.
Related Article: Monkeypox in Children: First 2 Cases Emerge in the US as WHO Declares Public Health Emergency
