What to know about getting a monkeypox vaccine in Rhode Island

Linda Borg, The Providence Journal
·3 min read

With 37 cases of monkeypox in Rhode Island, the state Department of Health is hosting several vaccine clinics around the state through the end of August and into September.

Joseph Wendelken, the spokesman for the health department, said approximately 900 people have received the first dose of the vaccine, JYNNEOS, which is part of a two-shot series.

Learn more: WHO declares monkeypox a global health emergency. What you need to know

The RI start: First probable case of monkeypox identified in Rhode Island

The state has several regulations regarding who can receive a monkeypox vaccine. Currently, you can get a vaccination if  you meet one of the following criteria:

  • You are identified as a close contact of someone with a confirmed case of monkeypox.

  • You are a Rhode Island resident who is at least 18 years old AND have had multiple sex partners or at least one anonymous sex partner during the past month AND who is gay, bisexual, queer or any man who has had sex with men, OR any transgender, non-binary or gender-diverse individual who has had sex with men who, in turn, have sex with men.

What monkeypox rashes can look like.
What monkeypox rashes can look like.

On why they are focusing on those populations, Wendelken said that nationally, many gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with other men have been diagnosed with monkeypox.

“However, people of any sexual orientation or gender identity can become infected," he said.

Where will monkeypox vaccine clinics be held in Rhode Island?

The Rhode Island Department of Health is running clinics:

Aug. 20: Alvarez High School in Providence, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug. 27: Community College of Rhode Island, Warwick, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and CCRI Lincoln, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sept. 2: Alger Hall. Rhode Island College in Providence, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sept. 3: Alvarez High School in Providence, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Vaccine clinic dates, locations and registrations can be found here. RIDOH says it will update that spreadsheet with more clinics as they become available. 

Additional clinics are planned and the Department of Health is planning to offer monkeypox vaccine clinics together with community partners.

How to sign up for a monkeypox vaccine

A person seeking a monkeypox vaccine can either sign up for an appointment at a vaccine clinic, or get a notification of an available vaccine through the confidential Monkeypox Vaccine Interest Notification List on the state's website, ri.gov. After putting their name on the list, the individual will be notified when a vaccine becomes available.

What are monkeypox symptoms?

A rash that may be on or near the genitals or anus but can also appear on areas such as the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy.

Other symptoms may include: fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches and backache or headache, sore throat, nasal congestion or cough.

Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms while others get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.

Linda Borg covers education for The Providence Journal.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Monkeypox vaccine clinics coming to Providence, Warwick and Lincoln