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By Chris Brown / CHAT News Today

Alberta offering pre-exposure monkeypox vaccine

Jul 28, 2022 | 10:16 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A pre-exposure monkeypox vaccine is available to Albertans 18 and older who self-identify as meeting the targeted prevention eligibility criteria.

Starting July 28, monkeypox immunization appointments can be booked with vaccine administration beginning on July 29.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, says in a release that during the current outbreak, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men have been impacted the most, especially those with new or multiple sexual partners. She says anyone eligible for the vaccine should consider getting a dose and at the same time take other recommended measures to reduce the risk of exposure.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization advised men at risk of catching monkeypox to consider reducing their sexual partners after the U.N. health agency declared the escalating outbreaks in multiple countries to be a global emergency.

The Imvamune vaccine for smallpox and monkeypox has been authorized in Canada for adults who are 18 years and older and who are determined to be at high risk for exposure to the virus.

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Vaccine supply is limited at present. It will be made available starting in Edmonton and Calgary where all confirmed cases to date have been located. Vaccine availability will expand elsewhere in the province when more vaccine becomes available in the coming weeks.

Vaccine eligibility

Beginning July 28, Alberta residents 18 years and older eligible for the monkeypox vaccine will include:

• Transgender, cisgender or two-spirit individuals who self-identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) community and who meet at least one of the following criteria:
• Have received a recent (in the last six months) diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection.
• Are planning to have, or in the past 90 days had, sex outside of a mutually monogamous relationship.
• Have attended venues for sexual contact within the past 90 days (e.g., bath houses, sex clubs) or may be planning to, or who work/volunteer in these settings.
• Any sexual contacts of the individuals described above.
• Staff and volunteers in a social setting or venue or event where sexual activities between men (individuals described above) may take place.

Appointments must be booked through Health Link. Anyone interested in receiving the vaccine must call 1-866-301-2668 to review eligibility and book an appointment.

For more information on monkeypox, visit alberta.ca/monkeypox.