First State Times

Dover, DE – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing additional locations where those who meet eligibility criteria can get the monkeypox (MPX) vaccine. On Monday, DPH expanded access to the vaccine to those living with HIV and those receiving HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Additionally, on Aug. 22, access will be expanded to include those engaging in high-risk activities, including sexual practices, that increase exposure to MPX such as:

• Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and have had multiple (more than one) or any anonymous sexual partners 
• Transgender women or nonbinary persons assigned male at birth who have sex with men 
• Sex workers (of any sexual orientation/gender) 
• Staff (of any sexual orientation/gender) at establishments where sexual activity occurs (e.g., bathhouses, saunas, sex clubs)  

To date, DPH has been administering the vaccine at its public health clinics by appointment only. Individuals seeking a vaccine from DPH must contact the MPX Hotline number (1-866-408-1899) to be evaluated by a DPH staff member and schedule an appointment with a DPH clinic. Walk-ins for vaccination will not be accepted.

Two medical providers who offer HIV PrEP began administering vaccine this week. One of these valued partners, Beebe Healthcare, has agreed to begin vaccinating community members who meet any of the eligibility criteria indicated above starting Friday, Aug. 26. Individuals can schedule an appointment at beebehealthcare.org/online-scheduling starting Monday, Aug. 22. Walk-ins will not be accepted.

Additionally, the week of Aug. 22, DPH is partnering with AIDS Delaware and the HIV Consortium, as well as CAMP Rehoboth to host vaccination events. The event with AIDS Delaware and the Delaware HIV Consortium will be held Aug. 25, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm, at the Community Services Building located at 100 W. 10th Street in Wilmington. Pre-registration is required. Walk-ins will not be accepted. To register for this event, eligible persons are directed to call AIDS Delaware at 302-652-6776.

DPH and CAMP Rehoboth are also hosting an event on Aug. 23 at CAMP’s Rehoboth Beach location. The pre-registration for this event is currently full. Walk-ins will not be accepted. DPH is also onboarding additional partners and will announce new locations as they are finalized.

Monkeypox vaccinations at DPH clinics will continue to prioritize individuals at highest risk after a DPH evaluation: persons known or presumed to be exposed to someone with MPX in the last 14 days, and certain individuals who have sex with men and who have had multiple sex partners within the past 14 days. As a result, appointments may need to be scheduled a few days out.

Individuals should be aware that the vaccine, a two-dose series given 28 days apart, is not considered effective until two weeks after the second dose. Particularly those at higher risk should continue to use preventive measures and reduce engaging in any high-risk behaviors until that time.

To learn more information about monkeypox, please visit de.gov/monkeypox. DPH began posting MPX case and vaccine data on the website this week. As of today, Delaware has 11 confirmed cases of MPX.

The DPH hotline is for individuals with questions or concerns about MPX. The DPH Hotline number is 866-408-1899 and is operational Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Questions may also be emailed to DPHCall@delaware.gov. Both the hotline number and email address share staff with the COVID-19 Call Center.

Original source can be found here.