Submitted by San Juan County Health and Community Services.

San Juan County Health and Community Services is providing Monkeypox vaccines on Oct. 12 and 13 on San Juan Island and Orcas Island respectively. These clinics are for those who are considered high-risk for contracting MPV. While MPV is disproportionately impacting the LGBTQ+ community, anyone can get it, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Anyone who thinks they need an MPV vaccine can schedule themselves on our website here. Vaccine supply remains limited, so the following populations are being prioritized for vaccination:

• Gay and bisexual men and transgender individuals who have had multiple or anonymous gay, male bisexual or transgender sex partners in the last 3 months;

• People who have used methamphetamine in the last 3 months;

• People who have exchanged sex for money, drugs, or other purposes in the last 3 months;

• People who have been sexually assaulted, regardless of gender or sexual orientation; and

• People who have had sexual contact or prolonged skin-to-skin exposure with people who were exposed to MPV.

If you relate to any of the above risk factors or think you may in the near future, HCS strongly encourages you to sign up for a MPV vaccine. Vaccination remains public health’s most reliant tool in preventing disease outbreak. Anyone who is unsure of their risk factor status or has questions about the vaccine can contact our nurses by phone or email for more information. Call 360-378-4474 or email communicabledisease@sanjuanco.com to speak with a HCS nurse directly.