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Are there side effects to monkeypox vaccines? What eligible NC residents should know

Monkeypox is rapidly spreading throughout Mecklenburg County, and the waitlist to get vaccinated against the virus is growing.

As of Aug. 1, the county confirmed 33 cases of monkeypox in Mecklenburg — up from 12 cases on July 20.

There are 1,800 patients on the county’s vaccination waitlist, Mecklenburg County Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington told The Charlotte Observer.

The county is expected toreceive an additional 2,000 doses of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine with plans to vaccinate around 1,000 with the new shipment.

Due to limited supply, vaccines in North Carolina are only offered to people who have been exposed or are suspected of having been exposed to monkeypox.

RELATED: Mecklenburg County expands monkeypox vaccine eligibility. Here’s who can get it

If you plan on getting vaccinated, here’s what to know about the Jynneos.

Possible complications of the monkeypox vaccine

The FDA documented adverse reactions to Jynneos in two groups: people were not vaccinated against smallpox and people who had previously received the smallpox vaccine.

In both groups, the most commonly reported side effects to the vaccine were pain, redness, itching and swelling at the injection site, headache, muscle pain, fatigue and nausea.

During a clinical trial for the vaccine, 1.3% of participants who were not vaccinated against smallpox and 2.1% of those who were previously vaccinated developed cardiac symptoms, according to the FDA. But specific symptoms were not listed. Less than one percent of those cases were considered to be related to the Jynneos vaccine.

RELATED: Fact check: Can your childhood smallpox vaccine protect against monkeypox?

How safe is the monkeypox vaccine for children and seniors?

According to the FDA, the safety and effectiveness of Jynneos have not been established in people less than 18 years of age, and clinical studies on Jynneos did not include enough people over the age of 65 to determine whether they respond differently to the vaccine than other age groups.

Emergency use authorizations from the FDA are required for any patients under the age of 18 to receive the Jynneos vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Charlotte Observer reporter Blake Douglas contributed to this story.