COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Public Health is hosting a monkeypox vaccine on Thursday for high-risk individuals.
CPH said in a release Franklin County received a limited number of vaccines.
The clinic will be held at Columbus Public Health from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 240 Parsons Avenue.
To receive a vaccine, the individual must live in Franklin County, be 18 years or older and meet one of the following criteria:
- Men who have had sex with me who:
Are HIV positive or been diagnosed with an STI in the past 12 months
Have had multiple anonymous sex partners in the past two weeks
Have attended a sex party or bathhouse in the past two weeks
- Anyone who exchanges sex for money, goods or services.
Registration for the clinic is full. CPH said to check their website and social media for updates.
You must schedule an appointment and walk-ins will not be accepted. If you qualify, you can make an appointment for the vaccine here.
Columbus Public Health will also be working to provide limited doses to community partners and local healthcare providers to distribute the vaccine to those at highest risk first.
The city said vaccines are extremely limited nationwide, but Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health anticipate receiving more vaccines in the coming weeks.
Monkeypox is a virus that can spread through close, intimate contact or during sex. It can also spread through contact with sheets, towels and other objects and through kissing.
The health agency said while anyone can get monkeypox, the current outbreak is largely affecting gay, bisexual or other men who have sex men.
Monkeypox starts with flu-like symptoms with a fever followed by a rash or sores. If you think you have monkeypox or you have been exposed to someone who does, contact your healthcare provider or public health immediately.
Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms begin until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks. People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus.
