Virginia Beach Health Department to Host Free Mpox and COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic
By: City of Virginia Beach
The Virginia Beach Department of Public Health will host a FREE Mpox and COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday, Jan. 19, from 4-7 p.m. at MJ’s Tavern, 4019 Granby St.
Mpox is a rare contagious rash illness caused by the monkeypox virus. The virus is in the same family of viruses as the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox causes milder illness than smallpox, but some symptoms can be severe. The monkeypox virus can spread from animals to people and from person to person.
Anyone, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, can get mpox if they have close contact with someone infected with the virus. Having multiple or anonymous sex partners may increase your chances of getting mpox. Limiting your number of sexual partners may reduce the possibility of exposure. The risk to other groups is considered low at this time.
In Virginia, a two-dose series of a monkeypox vaccine (JYNNEOS) is recommended for individuals who identify with any of the groups listed below.
- Those who within the past 14 days have had an intermediate- to high-risk exposure to a known and documented mpox case.
- Those with certain risk factors and recent experiences that might make them more likely to have been recently exposed to mpox:
- Person (of any sexual orientation or gender) who has had anonymous or multiple (more than one) sexual partners in the last two weeks
- Person (of any sexual orientation or gender) diagnosed with any sexually transmitted infection in the past three months
- Person (of any sexual orientation or gender) who is living with HIV/AIDS
- Staff (of any sexual orientation or gender) at establishments or events where sexual activity occurs
- Sex workers (of any sexual orientation or gender)
On Oct. 12, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent to authorize their use as a single booster dose in younger age groups. On Oct. 12, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a single dose of the new COVID-19 bivalent booster doses at least two months following a completed primary series or monovalent booster vaccination according to the new FDA EUA authorizations for these products.
- The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals aged 5 years and older.
- The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals aged 6 years and older.
- The bivalent vaccines, also known as “updated boosters,” contain messenger RNA (mRNA) components of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.
- Monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines areno longer authorized as booster doses for individuals aged 5 years and older. This means that monovalent booster doses can no longer be given as boosters to people aged 5 years and older.
Those who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 Bivalent vaccine.
A consultation with your healthcare provider is recommended to decide whether or not to receive a second booster.
People ages 5-17 will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for COVID-19 boosters.
Appointments are encouraged; however, walk-ins will be accepted. Visit the links below to schedule your appointment time.
Thursday, Jan. 19, from 4-7 p.m.
MJ’s Tavern, 4019 Granby St.
For more information on monkeypox vaccines, visit the VDH website at vdh.virginia.gov/monkeypox or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Monkeypox” website at www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.
For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Vaccines for COVID-19” page at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html.