With monkeypox cases still rising, vaccination eligibility is expanding in Long Beach, health officials announced Tuesday.

Los Angeles County health officials also announced virtually identical new eligibility guidelines today.

Effective today, gay or bisexual men and transgender people who had skin-to-skin or intimate contact with persons at large venues or events in the past 14 days are now eligible to get the JYNNEOS vaccine, according to new guidelines from the city’s Health Department.

Persons of any gender or sexual orientation who have engaged in commercial and/or transactional sex in the past two weeks are also now eligible for the vaccine, according to health officials.

Individuals meeting any of the criteria below are already eligible to get the JYNNEOS vaccine:

  • People who were exposed to someone with confirmed monkeypox and do not have symptoms.
  • People who attended an event/venue where there was high risk of exposure to someone with confirmed MPX.
  • Residents who are immunocompromised, including those with advanced or uncontrolled HIV, who may be at high risk for severe disease.
  • Gay or bisexual men and transgender people who are on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); who attended saunas, bathhouses, sex clubs, circuit parties or sex parties where they had anonymous sex or sex with multiple partners; who have a diagnosis of gonorrhea or early syphilis within the past 12 months; and/or who had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days.

As of Tuesday, there are 66 confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox in Long Beach, according to health officials. At least one of the individuals has required hospitalization, and all are either isolating and recovering at home or have recovered.

To date, the city has administered more than 2,800 doses of monkeypox vaccine, health officials said.

Residents wishing to schedule a monkeypox vaccination appointment should use the state’s MyTurn app.

Starting Aug. 30, city-run monkeypox vaccine clinics will be open to everyone who registers on MyTurn, according to health officials.

The Long Beach Health Department encourages all residents to visit longbeach.gov/monkeypox for up-to-date facts and information.

Explainer: Monkeypox has arrived in Long Beach. Who’s at risk and who can get vaccinated?

 

 

Anthony Pignataro is an investigative reporter and editor for the Long Beach Post. He has close to three decades of experience in journalism leading numerous investigations and long-form journalism projects for the OC Weekly and other publications. He joined the Post in May 2021.