Palm Springs businesses do their part to educate, protect community from monkeypox

When COVID-19 was at its height in 2020, Austin Basford, owner of All Worlds Resort in Palm Springs, decided to do what he could to protect the community.

He shut down his resort, which attracts hundreds of guests, primarily men who have sex with men, "when we were not required to close our doors down," he said. A sign on the window read, "We're closed until a vaccine is found," Basford said, and the resort was closed for about four months.

Since vaccines became more readily available to the general public around May 2021, All Worlds has required guests and anyone else on the property — people utilizing a day or night pass or visiting someone on the property — to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

"I said, 'Let's just do the right thing,'" he said. Because of that, "Everyone wanted to come here, because everybody wanted to have a potentially safer place to hang out."

During the current monkeypox virus outbreak, which has disproportionately affected men who have sex with men, Basford is experiencing a bit of déjà vu.

While the resort is still welcoming guests and holding Sunday pool parties, the indoor maze on the property is closed, and night passes are no longer available to purchase "until the monkeypox vaccine becomes available in our area," according to a notice on the website. The indoor maze was closed because sexual activity often takes place in the area, Basford said. Monkeypox can be spread through close contact, including sexual contact, with skin lesions or bodily fluids of those with the virus.

The owner said he initially was going to reassess the decision, which was implemented in July, around Labor Day. But because vaccines have been tough to get in the Palm Springs area, and because it takes two weeks for someone to be considered fully vaccinated after receiving the second dose of the Jynneos vaccine (two doses taken four weeks apart), the indoor maze and night passes might not be open for business until November.

That does come with a bit of financial strain: The resort is estimated to lose an average of $30,000 a month with the closure. But Basford said he is committed to "trying to do my part, and I'll do as much as I can."

"I will not sacrifice doing the right thing to make a buck," Basford said.

Other businesses in Palm Springs, especially those LGBTQ-owned and operated, are doing their part as well to educate community members on monkeypox and bring awareness to the virus, which can impact anyone. Those who become infected with monkeypox typically experience fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, rash and lesions often in the genital and perianal region. Illness typically lasts for two to four weeks. There have been more than 100 confirmed and reported cases reported in Riverside County.

Related: County wants to know who's interested in monkeypox vaccines

More: Biden administration declares monkeypox a public health emergency

More: Local monkeypox emergency ratified; future of Pride events uncertain

'We're doing the best we can'

There aren't too many changes with operations at Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon, but employees are taking precautions to protect themselves and others from potentially spreading the virus.

Owner Ed McBride said his lead stylist issues updated information regarding monkeypox to team members. The salon is also strongly suggesting that employees wear gloves whenever they're servicing clients.

"At this point, that's probably the only steps we're taking," McBride said.

McBride said the salon is not "too terribly worried" about someone giving a haircut without wearing gloves, based on what has been learned about the virus' spread. But for other services that involve prolonged skin-to-skin contact, such as waxing and body grooming, massages, manicures and pedicures and facials, "the stylist might want to wear gloves," he said.

Client and staff safety is a top priority during this time, McBride said, much like during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when employees were "very careful about wearing masks" and sanitizing work stations. The state mandates sanitizing protocols for salons, he added, and the Palm Springs location sanitizes equipment, chairs and other items after every client. That has helped "calm down our fears" about potential spread, McBride said.

"Like everybody else, we're doing the best we can," McBride said. "I do talk to other owners of businesses here in town, and I think we're all kind of in the same boat. We're watching and listening as much as we can."

Over on Arenas Road, a vibrant nightlife scene can be found any day of the week. Blackbook owner Dean Lavine has not noticed a notable change in the number of patrons coming to his bar, aside from the fact that it's summertime in the desert and the triple-digit heat might deter some from going out.

Lavine said Riverside County Public Health employees have visited his location to inform staff members on monkeypox and provide educational materials on the virus. The bar owner added that signage regarding the virus is also up in the establishment.

"I don't think monkeypox would keep people from enjoying our city," Lavine said. "I think ultimately it's just being aware and using best practices, and I think everybody can live well and as usual as long as there's responsible behavior."

Riverside County spokesperson Jose Arballo Jr. said the county's public health department visited 33 businesses in the desert to provide informational flyers on monkeypox symptoms, testing, treatment, vaccinations and harm reduction. During resort visits, public health answered employees' questions on how to deal with soiled bedding and towels, while employees at bars and restaurants asked about testing, vaccination and prevention.

No businesses were asked to shut down any part of their work during these visits, he said.

Arballo added the department is working on reaching out to different community-based and non-governmental organizations in the county to provide informational materials.

Read: Palm Springs man received monkeypox vaccine, then found sores

A responsible community

The local business owners praised residents for how they have been responding to news about monkeypox and its spread.

Since Basford temporarily shut down the indoor maze and night passes at All Worlds Resort, he said guests have been accepting of the changes. Another bonus: "I haven't had anyone threaten to sue me," he added.

Guests who purchased passes that were impacted by the closure were given refunds, Basford added.

"I think the gay community is pretty darn responsible. We did the AIDS thing decades ago, so they were really open to the COVID-19 limitations and what we can and can't do," Basford said. "With monkeypox, it seems like they're doing the same thing. We've got a really supportive bunch of people that come here."

One indication that the community is taking the virus seriously is the high number of people seeking vaccinations. Riverside County Public Health has received 2,279 submissions via its monkeypox vaccine "interest form" as of Thursday, according to Arballo. However, vaccine supply has been scarce in the Coachella Valley, and health providers have had to distribute initial supplies primarily among their high-risk patients. In some instances, people have driven to other counties to get their hands on the Jynneos vaccine.

Read more: Residents voice frustrations over lack of monkeypox vaccine supply

More: Palm Springs mayor calls for better strategies with monkeypox vaccines

"There is an eagerness in our community to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and it's incredibly important that the state and the county realizes the importance of our community," Lavine said.

Basford added that he wishes state and local health jurisdictions were more prepared with supplies, but he's also understanding, saying "you can only be so prepared."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with Riverside County, recently declared a state of emergency to help the state coordinate a government-wide response, seek more vaccines and lead outreach and education efforts on where people can get treatment and inoculations. Officials are also hopeful that the new delivery method for the Jynneos vaccine — one-fifth of a dose is administered into the top layer of skin rather than a full dose into the fat layer under the skin — will get more vaccines in people's arms over the next several weeks.

Read more: New delivery of monkeypox vaccine could expand availability locally

As of Tuesday, Riverside County had received 5,384 Jynneos vaccine doses, according to the California Department of Public Health.

To date, California has received 109,471 vials of the monkeypox vaccine, including 43,282 delivered directly to Los Angeles County from the federal government.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs businesses working to protect community from monkeypox