LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Southern Nevada Health District announced a monkeypox vaccination clinic on Saturday, welcoming even more individuals who may be at risk of exposure by expanding eligibility requirements.
This includes:
- Gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, and transgender, gender non-conforming or other gender non-binary individuals with HIV or a history of a sexually-transmitted infection in the last 12 months.
- Sex workers of any gender identity or sexual orientation.
Individuals currently meeting the criteria for monkeypox vaccination include:
Those who had close physical contact within the past 14 days with someone known or suspected of having monkeypox. This includes:
- Those who know or suspect their sexual partner(s) of having monkeypox.
- Those who live in the same household as someone they know or suspect of having monkeypox.
- Those who have been informed by the Health District they are a close contact with someone with monkeypox.
- Gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, and transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender non-binary individuals who had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days, especially at a venue, event, or within a social group where a person with a known or suspected case of monkeypox was present.
Individuals who had monkeypox are not eligible for the vaccine. Vaccine clients will be assessed prior to receiving the vaccine to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements.
The monkeypox vaccine clinic is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 17, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at its main public health center at 280 S. Decatur Blvd.
First doses of the vaccine are available by appointment only and can be scheduled at https://vax4nv.nv.gov/s/vaccine-type.
Second doses of the vaccine are available on a walk-in basis.
5,198 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine have been administered in Clark County, as of Sept. 13. There have been 211 probable and confirmed cases reported, according to SNHD data.
While current data show that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men make up the majority of current reported cases of monkeypox, the Health District reminds the public that anyone can get monkeypox, which is primarily spread through close, physical contact between people.
A person with monkeypox can spread the virus to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness will typically last two to four weeks.
People can protect themselves from monkeypox by avoiding close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox, contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used, and washing their hands often.
Up-to-date information is also available on the Health District website at www.SNHD.info/monkeypox.
