On Aug. 9, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for the JYNNEOS vaccine to allow healthcare providers to use the vaccine by intradermal injection for individuals 18 years of age and older who are determined to be at high risk for mpox infection. JYNNEOS, the Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine, was approved in 2019 for prevention of smallpox and mpox disease in adults 18 years of age and older determined to be at high risk for smallpox or mmpox infection.

ACAM2000 is approved for the prevention of smallpox and mpox disease in individuals determined to be at high risk for smallpox or mpox infection. Live vaccine virus is shed from the vaccination site and can be spread to other parts of the body or to other people. Therefore, appropriate care of the vaccination site is required until it is completely healed, which may take up to six weeks.

The vaccine can cause serious complications in vaccinated individuals and their close contacts to whom the virus has spread – the risks for serious vaccine side effects are greater for certain people, including those who are immunocompromised.