Oregon health Q&A: What is the latest with mpox in Oregon?
May 31, 2025
As Oregon enters Pride season, it's encouraging that mpox cases remain low—just eight reported in 2025. Yet the virus has not disappeared. With intimate skin-to-skin contact remaining the primary mode of transmission, continued caution and vaccination are vital. Oregon Health Authority rightly urges those at risk to complete their two-dose vaccine series, which offers up to 80% protection. Summer festivities should not ignore public health. Ensuring access to mpox vaccines, especially for LGBTQ+ communities, is a proactive step toward safe celebration. Staying informed and vaccinated protects both individuals and the broader community.
With Pride celebrations approaching, Oregon’s low mpox case count—just eight confirmed in 2025—is cause for optimism, but not complacency. As the Oregon Health Authority emphasizes, mpox is still circulating, and the intimacy of summer festivals and gatherings presents ongoing risk. The virus, which spreads primarily through close, skin-to-skin contact, has not vanished. Undiagnosed and asymptomatic cases may still pose a threat.
The good news is that we have effective protection: two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine, given four weeks apart, reduce mpox risk by approximately 80%, with protection lasting at least five years. For individuals who received both doses since the outbreak’s resurgence in 2022, no additional doses are currently recommended. But for anyone who hasn’t completed the series—or hasn’t started—now is the time. Completing vaccination before Pride can safeguard not just personal health, but also that of friends, partners, and the broader LGBTQ+ community.
This summer, public health and personal freedom go hand in hand. Oregon’s approach—grounded in science and equity—ensures the vaccine is available to anyone who wants it, regardless of age or identity. With vaccines accessible through local pharmacies, clinics, and county health departments, the barrier is no longer availability but awareness.
Mpox should not overshadow summer joy—but ignoring it invites unnecessary risk. By maintaining open conversations, especially among potential partners, and prioritizing vaccination, Oregon can celebrate safely and inclusively.
Public health is a shared responsibility. As Oregon gathers in Pride and solidarity, the best way to honor community resilience is to stay informed, get vaccinated, and keep one another safe.