As monkeypox cases increase, Stanislaus County plans limited public vaccine clinics
As the number of cases slowly increases, Stanislaus County’s public health immunization clinic will hold a small number of free clinics for administering monkeypox vaccine to eligible county residents.
The clinics are by appointment only and limited to people in high-risk categories because of the scarce supply of monkeypox vaccine. Only Stanislaus County residents can get appointments. People in other counties should check with their county’s health offices.
According to the California Department of Public Health, Stanislaus County now has seven cases of monkeypox. The state has reported 1,733 case across 31 counties.
Stanislaus County public health staff will screen those who request an appointment for the JYNNEOS vaccine. People can ask for an appointment by emailing mpxvax@schsa.org. A county media advisory said walk-ins will not be accepted.
The county Health Services Agency said the limited supply of vaccine is being prioritized for people considered high risk “until we have more doses available.”
The JYNNEOS vaccine is for any adults 18 or older, regardless of sexual orientation, who believe they had close contact in the past 14 days with an individual who has monkeypox. The contagious illness has primarily spread among gay or bisexual men, but anyone can be infected.
The eligibility criteria also includes gay, bisexual or transgender men who have sex with men or transgender women and are living with HIV and are considered at risk for monkeypox exposure or recommended to use the HIV PrEP medication.
Gay and transgender men may also be eligible if they have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, in the past four to 12 months, or had multiple sexual partners or new sex partners in the past two weeks.
The vaccine clinics will be held Thursday and Friday. Those with confirmed appointments will be given the time and location.
“We have been getting inquiries from community members and various community-based organizations regarding the vaccine,” county public health spokeswoman Kamlesh Kaur said in a text Wednesday. “Due to limited supply, we are following the CDC’s strategy for distribution to ensure equitable access to individuals at high risk.”
Additional information about monkeypox is available at www.schsa.org.
