Sacramento LGBT Community Center hosts monkeypox vaccine clinic as cases increase – KCRA Sacramento

Friday marks two months since Sacramento County started investigating its first suspected case of monkeypox. As of Wednesday, there are now 22 suspected and probable cases in the county.In response, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center on 20th near J Street in Midtown has partnered with Sacramento County Public Health to offer a series of monkeypox vaccination clinics.”Vaccination is really important because it’s hopefully going to stop the spread of monkeypox in the community,” said Alexis Sanchez, director of advocacy and training with the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.A vaccine clinic ran from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday.| READ MORE | Here’s who should get vaccinated for monkeypox”I think we’re getting about 200 doses from the county every clinic so that means, every time we have a clinic, hopefully, we have 200 people vaccinated,” Sanchez said. “So that, for me, takes away some of the worry because if we can stop this disease kind of in the early stages, it’s one less thing that we have to worry about moving forward.”Vaccine supply is limited, though. The California Department of Public Health said on Wednesday that it requested more vaccines from the federal government to bolster the state’s response.In a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California estimates it needs at least 600,000 to 800,000 additional JYNNEOS vaccine doses.In the meantime, Sacramento County is only offering it to people considered most at-risk.That includes anyone who has been in close contact with someone who was infected or men who have sex with men or transgender people who meet at least one of the following criteria:Have tested positive for an STI in the past two monthsHad two or more sexual partners in the last three weeksAttended or work at a commercial sex venue in the last three weeksHad anonymous sex in the past three weeksEngaged in transactional sex work in the past three weeksThose who meet the vaccine criteria can contact the Immunization Assistance Program at 916-875-7468 or immunize@saccounty.net to schedule an appointment.​​ | VIDEO BELOW | Advocates stress using lessons learned from AIDS crisis in monkeypox vaccine guidelinesSacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye points out that although the current outbreak happens to be within the LGBTQ+ community, anyone can get monkeypox.”Monkeypox is spread with contact through lesions,” she said.There have been 22 confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox in Sacramento County in the last two months, eight so far this week.”The cases we are receiving now are more linked to travel. Some of it is interstate and some of it is within California,” Kasirye said.She said no one has had to be hospitalized.”We know from what we’ve heard from the CDC is the expectation is that this will continue, so we do need to continue our efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible,” she said.The Sacramento LGBT Community Center said it plans to host another vaccine clinic on Wednesday, July 27, for those who are eligible.| RELATED | The monkeypox outbreak continues to grow around the world. Here’s how it’s being treated