ND Dept. Of Health Working With Colleges On Monkeypox Vaccine

Monkeypox Has Not Impacted College Students In ND

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) – The North Dakota Department of Health says its working with colleges in the state in case monkeypox starts to spread.

Brenton Nesemeier  with the North Dakota Department of Health says there have been four confirmed monkeypox cases in the state during the current outbreak.

He says the disease is currently only found among men who have sex with men.  That is where current vaccination efforts are aimed.

The virus has not impacted the college population yet, but with students heading back to crowded campuses, Nesemeier says they are preparing in case the virus starts spreading elsewhere.

Nesemeier adds, “If we do start to see it than we will change our messaging to include more of that group. We are working with our colleges so that they have vaccine available so that if we do need to start administering vaccine on college campuses that they’re ready and able to do it.”

Nesemeier also noted that vaccination rates are down across the board. He says studies are being done to determine why.