The virus, which was declared a national public health emergency earlier this month, has affected more than 14,000 Americans and counting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That may seem like a small number, especially compared to Covid. But monkeypox is not commonly found in North America or Europe at all, making the current increase both noticeable and alarming. Although not particularly fatal, monkeypox can be a very painful experience that, in some cases, leaves physical scars behind. And with vaccines in short supply and testing supported in clinics, it’s at least temporarily up to you to protect yourself from infection. Here’s what you need to know if you’re wondering how safe your plans to date, catch up with friends or go to concerts are amid the monkeypox outbreak:
Close and prolonged contact
There is one key phrase to keep in mind when assessing the risk of monkeypox: close and prolonged contact. “This virus is not very good at infecting us, unlike Covid, so we need more of the virus,” says Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. “We can get more ‘dosage’ through very close contact, or [if we are] exposed for a longer period of time.” The specific activity most closely associated with this level of physical contact is sexual intimacy, which Jetelina says helps explain the virus’s “pure social networks of transmission.” So far, about 94% of the cases so far have been between men who have sex with men, he says — but that’s not guaranteed to always be the case. “This could definitely spread to other social networks that are in close contact,” says Jetelina. “We haven’t seen it yet, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be prepared.” Other, more casual forms of physical contact do not appear to be significant risk factors for the virus: A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in July found that less than 1% of people infected with monkeypox worldwide had the virus due to “non-sexual contact”. “Casual contact could mean shaking someone’s hand, touching a doorknob, wearing clothes [that someone else has worn]and these kinds of interactions are not necessarily high-risk,” says Dr. Syra Madad, a specialist pathogen epidemiologist at NYC Health + Hospitals. This means that venues such as restaurants, cinemas, house parties or concerts are unlikely to pose much of a risk. If you’re still worried, keep this in mind: Risks of infection are always lower with more distance between people, less time together, and less skin-to-skin contact.
How to decide what is safe for you
So far, only sex—between partners of any gender or sexuality—appears to be a really significant monkeypox risk. Is abstinence the answer? Experts say no. “We know that asking people to abstain from sex, asking people to abstain from drug use, is not possible,” says Dr. Eric Kutcher, a primary care provider and addiction physician at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. . Instead, Kutscher advises, pay attention to any potential symptoms and take them seriously if you notice them, either in yourself or a sexual partner. Check yourself and your partner for any new rashes before you have sex. Watch out for any flu-like symptoms, from fever or chills to cough or headaches. Most importantly, you should communicate with your partner about any potential risks. “You often have the ability to consent and get consent from the other person you’re going to be with, as to what risk you’re comfortable with,” says Kutscher. “The most important thing is that everyone makes informed decisions, and for everyone, that risk-benefit calculation may be different.” Kutscher suggests asking yourself a few questions to help you determine your personal risk calculation:
What would a monkeypox infection mean for me? How will this infection affect my life or my partner’s? How much would avoiding infection completely affect my life?
The most alarming symptoms of monkey pox
The closest thing to a telltale sign of monkeypox is the rash, which appears as raised, rubbery lesions on the skin. Just one lesion could be a sign of monkeypox, although some patients develop thousands of them at a time. So far, at least 95% of people with monkeypox have developed skin lesions, according to data from the New England Journal of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A classic monkeypox lesion develops a dot that may feel firm in its center, similar to a pimple. The similarity to acne can cause anxiety, even for doctors. So how can you tell which is which? “There aren’t that many of them [lesions] you have, but how different it is from your usual baseline,” says Kutscher. “If you usually get acne and you have a pimple that looks like a pimple in an area you usually break out in, it’s probably a pimple.” Most monkeypox lesions are not necessarily that painful, with the exception of those in the genital area. These can be excruciating and have affected about 47% of infected people in the U.S. If you develop new, unexpected lesions—anywhere on your body—you should contact your doctor. This is especially true if you have other symptoms such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes or body aches. These flu-like symptoms often start four or five days before the rash appears and up to 21 days after exposure, but some people don’t develop them until after the lesions appear. Others never have them at all. Control usually involves swabbing at least one and often two lesions. If you haven’t developed any but have other symptoms of monkeypox, Kutscher says you should avoid jumping to conclusions: “In people with no known exposure and general precursor symptoms, it could be anything.” In this scenario, consider temporarily avoiding dangerous contact with others and waiting until you see lesions to visit a swamp clinic for testing. If the lesions never appear and your other symptoms go away, you’re probably in the clear, the CDC says. Subscribe now: Get smarter about your money and your career with our weekly newsletter Dont miss:
