LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As we kick off Pride Month here in the Las Vegas valley, local LGBTQ+ advocates and organizers are urging folks to be mindful of mpox when gathering for Pride celebrations.
While anyone can contract the virus formerly known as monkeypox, it disproportionately impacted men who have sex with men during last summer's historic surge. Mpox is contagious and can spread to anyone through close, personal, and often skin-to-skin contact.
Though the Southern Nevada Health District hasn't reported any cases in a few months, health officials across the country warn that the virus has not gone away and that people should not let their guard down, especially as folks gather to celebrate Pride.
Good Morning Las Vegas anchor Anjali Patel spoke with the director of the clinic and HIV services at The Center, who says they've been ramping up mpox vaccination efforts to help protect people ahead of parties and gatherings celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community this month.
"We've partnered up with the Southern Nevada Health District and Immunize Nevada and we're offering vaccines here at The Center every Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., completely free to the public. So anybody can come here and get their vaccines, and we're also promoting it on our social media. We're promoting it out in the community. We go to several outreach events and we're even having a kickoff Pride event here, that we're also promoting everybody coming in and getting the mpox vaccine," said Mona Lisa Paulo, the director of clinic & HIV services at The Center.
Thanks to those efforts, Paulo says they are seeing an uptick in folks getting vaccinated against mpox at The Center, which is located at 401 S. Maryland Parkway in Las Vegas. As of May 22, Southern Nevada Health District-affiliated clinics have administered 11,088 mpox vaccines in Clark County, according to SNHD's website.
Even if you've already been vaccinated, officials say you should still be vigilant and scan your skin for lesions or sores.
To find out more information about the mpox vaccine and find a clinic in your part of the valley, visit the Health District's website.
