More people in New Brunswick are now eligible to receive the monkeypox vaccine.
Up until now, Public Health was only offering the vaccine to close contacts of a case due to limited supply.
But with greater availability of vaccines, health officials are now encouraging more people to get them.
That includes cisgender, transgender or two-spirit people aged 18 and older who self-identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual or men-who-have-sex-with-men community and are or plan to become sexually active with more than one partner.
“We encourage anyone in the identified group to book an appointment,” Dr. Arifur Rahman, acting deputy chief medical officer of health, was quoted as saying in the release.
A second dose at a 28-day interval is recommended for those who are immunocompromised. Public Health said the criteria may change as the situation evolves.
Vaccines for pre-exposure will be available starting Friday, Sept. 16, at select clinics offered by the regional health authorities.
Individuals can book their appointment outside of their current health zone if they wish. Appointments can also be made without using the registrant’s name.
To date, there have been 1,338 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Canada. A total of 37 people have been hospitalized as of Sept. 4, but no deaths have been reported.
New Brunswick has only reported one confirmed case of monkeypox to date.
While the majority of cases in Canada have been among men, health officials have said the virus can spread to anyone through close contact or contaminated items.
Symptoms are usually mild with a fever, headache, muscle aches, chills and exhaustion. Infected people will also develop a rash, typically on the face, before it spreads to other body parts.
You can find more details about monkeypox and how to book a vaccine appointment by clicking here.
