Long Beach again expands monkeypox vaccine eligibility • Long Beach Post News – Long Beach Post
Effective today, the JYNNEOS vaccine is now available for:
- people who self-attest to being the sexual partners of gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men or transgender people who have sex with men or other transgender people,
- people of any gender or sexual orientation who engage in commercial and/or transactional sex,
- people living with HIV
- people who had skin-to-skin or intimate contact with someone with suspected or confirmed monkeypox, according to the new guidelines from the city’s health department
The vaccine is also now available for people who anticipate being in any of the above groups, according to health officials.
The JYNNEOS vaccine is also now available to individuals in occupational groups that might expose them to orthopoxviruses, including research laboratory personnel, designated public health response team members and health care personnel who care for suspected or confirmed monkeypox infections, even though the risk of transmission for health care workers is very low if appropriate personal protective equipment is worn, according to health officials.
“We’re committed to making the MPX vaccine accessible—especially to members of our community at the highest risk,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement issued Monday.
The expanded eligibility is in line with the Los Angeles County public health department, which announced similar guidelines on Sept. 29.
As of Monday, there are 112 confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox in Long Beach, according to the city’s health department. Three have required hospitalization, and all are isolating and recovering at home or have recovered, according to the city’s monkeypox dashboard.
Nearly 98% of Long Beach cases identify as male, and more than 75% of infected individuals identify as gay, lesbian or same-gender loving, according to health officials.
To date, the city has administered more than 7,700 doses of the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine, said health officials.
The monkeypox vaccination site at Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus, located at Parking Lot 1 on the corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, is open to eligible people with and without appointments Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Long Beach Health Department encourages all residents to visit longbeach.gov/monkeypox for up-to-date facts and information, which includes a full list of all vaccination eligibility requirements.
Explainer: Monkeypox has arrived in Long Beach. Who’s at risk and who can get vaccinated?