N.L. expands monkeypox vaccine eligibility to more members of LGBT community and contacts

Newfoundland and Labrador is expanding eligibility for vaccination againstmonkeypox thanks to an influx of more doses ofImvamune a vaccine used for smallpox that also provides protection from monkeypox.

Until Thursday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Fitzgerald said, the province had avery limited supply of the product fewer than 150 doses.

Eligibility for the vaccine was previously limited to people who were considered high-risk contacts of positive or presumptive positive monkeypox cases. Newfoundland and Labrador has two probable cases, the firstreported on July 28.

"Newfoundland and Labrador will be receiving an increased supply of Imvamuneand can now expand eligibility for the vaccine," said Fitzgerald.

"We will be launching a focused vaccination campaign for those at highest risk of infection based on what we currently know about monkeypox and its spread in Canada."

Starting Monday, two-spirit (Indigenous people who identify as non-binary in their culture) transgender and non-transgender males who self-identify as being part of the LGBTQcommunity and have had intercourse with two or more partners within the last 90 days (or are planning to do so),have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the last six months orhave attended venues or other locations for sexual contact within the last 90 days (or are planning to do so) can get the vaccine.

Sexual contacts of people who fall into those categoriesare also eligible, as well as sex workers.

"People in the sex work community have come forward in a proactive way, asking for vaccination against monkeypoxto protect themselves, their community and their clients," said Fitzgerald.

"Individuals who engage in sex work are typically vigilant about sexual health, and members ofthis community often lead the way in safety when it comes to issues of communicable infection."

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Fitzgerald said if you are eligible for the vaccine to contact a public health office to get more information. People will not be asked how they are eligible, she said. Further information will be available online as of Thursday.

To date,the province hadbeen administering vaccines to close contacts of probable and positive cases.

Newfoundland and Labrador wasthe sixth province in Canada to identify a case of monkeypox. There are more than 20,000 cases around theworld.

Fitzgerald said she expects a few hundred people will seek out a dose on Monday. The province's current supply is fewer than5,000 shots, she said.

"We haven't had a need for smallpox vaccine on the same scale as we have COVID. We have a quite limited supply of this vaccine so obviously we have to be responsible with a limited resource," Fitzgerald said.

'Undue stigma'

Fitzgerald said public health is concerned that members of the LGBTQpopulation are facing "undue stigma" during the outbreak given that positive cases are being disproportionatelyfound within the community.

"Monkeypox should not be associated with any one group or community. It can affect anyone,"she said.

"Just as with COVID, we remind you to treat everybody with respect, make no assumptions or judgments and above all be kind."

She also saidthere's no evidence amid the current outbreak that supports the virus beingclassified as a sexually transmitted infection.

What is known, said Fitzgerald, is the virus is transmitted due to close contact, skin-to-skin contact or like COVID-19 through respiratory water droplets or contaminated surfaces.

"Monkeypox is spread in a number of ways, including from animals to humans, from person to person and through contaminated objects," she said.

"The willingness to come forward for vaccination in other areas of the country has very much helped to control the outbreak."

Newfoundland and Labrador is in the process of finalizing its own testing abilities for monkeypox. For now, Fitzgerald said, there will be parallel testing with the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg to confirm positive cases,similar to the way testing was completed in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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