TPH making monkeypox vaccine available to more people after expanded eligibility

Toronto Public Health is making the monkeypox vaccine available to more people after the provincial government expanded its eligibility guidelines.

Starting Friday, a single dose of pre-exposure monkeypox vaccine will be made available to two-spirited, non-binary, trans- or cis-gender individuals who self-identify or have sexual partners who self-identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) community and fall into at least one of the following categories:

• Have received a diagnosis of bacterial STI (i.e., chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis) in the past two months
• Have had two or more sexual partners recently or may be planning to
• Have attended venues for sexual contact (i.e., bath houses, sex clubs) recently or may be planning to, or who work/volunteer in these settings
• Have had anonymous sex (e.g., using hookup apps) recently or may be planning to
• Are a sexual contact of an individual who engages in sex work
• Any individual who engages in sex work or may be planning to

Household members or sexual partners of individuals who meet the above criteria who are either moderately to severely immunocompromised or are pregnant can also get a first dose of the vaccine after speaking with their healthcare provider.

The province says two doses of the vaccine is recommended for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals and certain research laboratory employees.

Toronto Public Health will be hosting vaccination clinics over the next week at the following locations:

Friday, August 26
Cloverdale, 250 The East Mall, noon to 6 p.m.
1940 Eglinton, 1940 Eglinton Ave. E., noon to 6 p.m.

Saturday, August 27
The 519, 519 Church St., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cloverdale, 250 The East Mall, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
1940 Eglinton Ave. E., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, August 28
Metro Hall, 214 Wellington St. W, Main Floor, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, August 30
Metro Hall, 214 Wellington St. W., Main Floor, noon to 6 p.m.
Cloverdale, 250 The East Mall, noon to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, August 31
The 519, 519 Church St., 2 to 6:30 p.m.
Metro Hall, 214 Wellington St. W., Main Floor, noon to 6 p.m.
Cloverdale, 250 The East Mall, noon to 6 p.m.
1940 Eglinton Ave. E., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

People can book an appointment at a City-run clinic through the TPH Booking System. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are also accepted.

Anyone who has had a known exposure or close contact with someone with monkeypox can also get the vaccine as a post-exposure prophylactic (PEP), even if they would not be eligible for the pre-exposure vaccine.

While the majority of current cases during this outbreak have been associated with gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men, anyone can get the virus through person-to-person exposure if they come in contact with infected lesions, skin scabs, body fluids or respiratory secretions. It can also be transmitted by contact with materials contaminated with the virus, such as clothing or bedding. It can also be spread through bites or scratches from infected animals.

RELATED: Toronto health leaders working to stop monkeypox misconceptions, 2SLGBTQ+ community stigma

Public Health Ontario reports there are 582 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the province as of Monday with Toronto Public Health accounting for 75 percent of all cases. While the majority of cases are being reported in men, three women have been diagnosed with the virus. Eighteen of the cases have been hospitalized with two requiring intensive care. No deaths have been reported to date.

Meanwhile, an expert is urging Canadian universities and colleges to be proactive about preventing monkeypox from gaining a foothold on campuses.

University of Manitoba virologist Jason Kindrachuk says schools should be raising awareness about the risks of monkeypox as students prepare to come together this fall.

The University of Toronto says no cases of monkeypox have been reported on campus, but it’s providing students with resources where they can learn more about the disease.

Toronto Metropolitan University says it’s developing protocols to deal with potential infections on campus, particularly in residences.

Global monkeypox cases declining

The number of monkeypox cases reported globally dropped 21 per cent in the last week, reversing a month-long trend of rising infections and signaling that Europe’s outbreak may be starting to decline, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

At a press briefing on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said although there were indications the monkeypox outbreak was slowing in Europe, which once accounted for 90 per cent of the world’s lab-confirmed cases, the spread of the virus was now causing concerns elsewhere.

The Americas accounted for 60 per cent of cases in the past month, WHO said, while cases in Europe comprised about 38 per cent. It said infections in the Americas showed “a continuing steep rise.”

Files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press were used in this report