Manitoba expands eligibility for monkeypox vaccine

Manitoba has expanded eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine a week after the province confirmed its first case.

On Friday, the province announced that those who are eligible for the vaccine include cisgender, transgender and two-spirit people who identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men communities, and who also meet one of the following criteria:

• Have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the past six months;
• Have had two or more sexual partners in the last 90 days;
• Have had anonymous sex in the past 90 days or are planning to;
• Have attended locations for sexual contact or are planning to;  or
• Have engaged in sex work or are planing to, either as a worker or a client.

Any sexual contacts of individuals who meet the eligibility requirements are also now eligible to get the monkeypox vaccine.

The newly eligible individuals will be able to begin booking appointments on Aug. 29 at 9 a.m.

Appointments are available in communities around the province, and can be booked online. Those without internet access can call Health Links at 204-788-8200. 

Manitobans who are a close contact to someone with monkeypox are also eligible for a post-exposure vaccination, and should contact their local public health office.

As of Aug. 21, Manitoba has administered 436 doses of the monkeypox vaccine to eligible residents.

To date, there has been one confirmed case of monkeypox in Manitoba.

More information is available online.