The Los Angeles Post

With Increased Supply, Public Health Expands Monkeypox Vaccination Eligibility

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With the arrival of an additional 9,000 JYNNEOS doses late last week and an additional 7,000 doses arriving later this week, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is expanding eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine to include additional residents at higher risk of exposure.

Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, July 20, monkeypox vaccine will be available for gay men, bisexual men, men having sex with men, and transgender persons who:

  • Were diagnosed with gonorrhea or early syphilis within the past 12 months; or
  • Are on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); or
  • Attended or worked at a commercial sex venue or other venue where they had anonymous sex or sex with multiple partners (e.g., saunas, bathhouses, sex clubs, sex party) within past 21 days.

Residents who fall under these eligibility requirements can get vaccinated several ways:

  1. Contacting their doctor or healthcare provider to find out if they are a monkeypox vaccine provider. If they are a vaccine provider, eligible residents can request an appointment with their provider to get vaccinated. Providers that are registered to administered vaccine may also reach out to patients who are thought to be eligible to invite them to get vaccinated.
  2. Visiting a Public Monkeypox vaccine location with their ID and provide one of the following:
    1. Proof of gonorrhea or early syphilis infection in the last 12 months in the form of a lab report (the proof can be shown from your phone, including a screenshot of the result or within a patient portal; OR
    2. A monkeypox provider attestation form completed by your doctor; OR
  3. Being invited to get vaccinated after receiving a text message with their name from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Residents who meet any of the eligibility criteria can fill out a sign-up form by visiting ph.lacounty.gov/monkeypoxsignup and providing their name, date of birth, and eligibility information to get on a list to receive vaccine if they meet the eligibility criteria and vaccine is available. Residents can also indicate locations that are most convenient for them to get vaccinated.

Those without access to the internet or needing help with registration, can call 2-1-1 for assistance.

Public Health will continue to provide monkeypox vaccines by invitation only to the following persons identified through public health investigation, including:

  • Persons confirmed by Public Health to have had high- or intermediate-risk contact with someone with monkeypox, as defined by CDC.
  • Persons who attended an event or venue where there was high risk of exposure to an individual(s) with confirmed monkeypox virus through skin-to-skin or sexual contact. Public Health will work with event/venue organizers to identify persons who may have been present and at risk of exposure while at the venue.

Public Health or clinic partners will directly communicate to those identified as being close contacts to a confirmed case to provide details on how and where to access the JYNNEOS vaccine.

For more information, please visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/monkeypox/