WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced Thursday that they will expand eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine.

So far, DHS has been given 1,486 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine from the federal government. This will allow 743 people to complete the two-dose vaccine cycle for monkeypox. As of yesterday, there were 14 cases of monkeypox in Wisconsin.

Given the limited supply of vaccines for the virus, DHS will prioritize those individuals that are at the highest risk of infection. Vaccines are recommended for those that have had a known exposure to someone with monkeypox and those with specific risk factors that are more likely to be exposed to the virus.

This would include anyone who attended an event or venue where there was a known monkeypox exposure; those who have had a sexual partner that’s been diagnosed with monkeypox in the last 14 days; and gay, bisexual, trans, or any men who have sex with men, who have had multiple sexual partners in the last 14 days.

However, DHS said anyone who is exposed to monkeypox should talk with their health care provider to see if they are eligible for a vaccine.

Those who’ve been exposed to monkeypox have reported engaging in close sustained physical or intimate contact with an individual who had monkeypox.

Despite most cases occurring in gay, bisexual, trans, or other men who have sex with men, anyone can develop a monkeypox infection if they have contact with a person who has the virus.