Monkeypox – Counseling and Wellness Services

Counseling and Wellness Services (CWS) is monitoring the rise in Monkeypox virus (MPV) cases. Thousands in the United States and more than 500 cases have already been identified in Washington State. More information, data, and demographics on the virus can be found on the CDC’s monkeypox webpage.

What is Monkeypox Virus (MPV)?
Monkeypox is a rare disease, that does not spread easily between people. You can get monkeypox from close skin-to-skin contact with a person who has a rash or scabs from monkeypox. Examples of this could include, hugging, cuddling, massage, or close contact sports. It could also include spit droplet during close conversations and kissing. Monkeypox can also spread through sexual contact including touching the genitals, oral, anal or vaginal sex. You can also contract monkeypox from contact with objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding or towels), and surface that have been used by someone with monkeypox.

Symptoms
If you get monkeypox, you may have a fever, chills, sore muscles, headache or tiredness and then get a rash. You might get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. You might only get a rash without having the others symptoms, the rash may look like pimples or blisters. The rash is usually on the face, inside the mouth and on other parts of your body like your hands, chest and genitals. You should be better within 2-4 weeks, but you should see a healthcare provider as soon as you get symptoms that you believe might be monkeypox.

Protect Yourself
The best way to protect yourself from monkeypox is to avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone who has a rash.
If you know a friend or family member that has been diagnosed with monkeypox:
-Try to avoid contact with them if possible.
-If you must be within 6 feet of them, you should wear a respirator or well-fitting mask and they must wear a well-fitting mask.
-Do not share silverware or cups
-Do not touch their sheets, blankets, towels, or clothing. If you do touch any of these things, you should wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
If you are sexually active:
-Talk to your partner about any recent illnesses.
-Be aware of any new or unexplained rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including the genitals and butt.
-If you or your partner have recently been sick, currently have symptoms of monkeypox, or have a new or unexplained rash, do not kiss, cuddle, hug, touch each other’s genitals, or have oral, vaginal or anal sex.

Educational Handouts and Information

Frequently Asked Questions

EWU does not require that you be vaccinated against monkeypox virus (MPV) to attend.

If you live in the residence halls and test positive for monkeypox, you will need to isolate until your rash has fully healed. tThe isolation period is typically 2-4 weeks. The Spokane Regional Health District will work with positive cases to determine when isolation ends for each person. We have an isolation hall we can move you to for the duration of your isolation. Laundry, kitchen, and food access will be available.

You can call Mulitcare Rockwood Clinic at 509-235-6151 for information about getting tested. If you suspect that you have monkeypox, you should self isolate until you receive a negative test result form a doctor.

You cannot attend in-person classes until your rash has healed. You can spread monkeypox to others from the time of symptoms until the rash has fulled healed, meaning all scabs have fallen off and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take 2-4 weeks.

Yes. You can spread monkeypox from when symptoms start until the rash is fulled healed, which can be 2-4 weeks. If you test positive for monkeypox you want to take the following precautions:

Separate yourself from people and animals (mammals)
Do not kiss, hug, cuddle, sleep or have sex with anyone
Do not share bedding, towels, dishes or utensils
Wash your own dishes and laundry

Have someone else care for pets or livestock
Do not use public transit such as planes, buses, taxis or ride shares
Do not leave your house unless you are seeking medical care
Do not go to school or work

Spokane Regional Health District will contact you to conduct contact tracing and they will let you know when it is safe to end isolation.

You will not need to quarantine, but if you have been identified as a close contact Spokane Regional Health District will check in with you via text monitoring for 21 days.

Close personal contacts includes:

Oral, anal and vaginal sex or touching the genital or anus of a person with monekypox
Hugging, massage, kissing
Prolonged face-to-face contact
touching fabrics and objects during sex that were used by a person with monkeypox such as bedding, towels, fetish gear and sex toys that have not been disinfected

The incubation period for monkeypox ranges from 5-21 days (three weeks), although symptoms are most likely to occur within 7-14 days after infection.

The monkeypox vaccine is currently in short supply in the United States. Spokane Regional Health District has prioritized high-risk individuals during this shortage based on the following criteria

Are high risk of a recent exposure to monkeypox, including members of the gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming community and other communities of men who have sex with men and who have engaged in intimate, or skin-to-skin contact with others in the past 14 days in areas where monkeypox is spreading.
Have had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, including men who have sex with men who meet partners through an online website, digital application (“app”), or social event, such as a bar or party.
Have had recent monkeypox exposure are also eligible for post-exposure prophylaxis. These close contacts as identified through SRHD case investigations will be given direction on how to access monkeypox vaccine.
Have specific medical histories that may affect the immune system or that indicates participation in high-risk activities.