Hamilton Public Health Services hosting pop-up monkeypox vaccination clinic

HAMILTON, ON – City of Hamilton Public Health Services is hosting a pop-up monkeypox vaccination clinic for at-risk community members on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at the East End Public Health Clinic (247 Centennial Pkwy N, Unit 8, Hamilton). The clinic is operating from 9 to 11 am and 1:30 to 3:30 pm by appointment only.

While the risk to Hamiltonians from this infection remains very low and there are no known cases of the monkeypox virus confirmed locally, Hamilton Public Health Services is working closely with the Ontario Ministry of Health, Toronto Public Health and other Public Health Units in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to ensure there are proactive actions taken in response to the virus.

Hamilton Public Health Services is following federal and provincial guidance on the administration of Imvamune vaccines to protect those most at risk of contracting the monkeypox virus. The clinic is intended for community members 18 years old and over who are transgender or cisgender individuals who self-identify as a man and belong to the community of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men community, as well as at least one of the following:

• Identify as a contact of an individual who recently tested positive for monkeypox.
• Have had two or more sexual partners within the past three weeks (21 days) or may be planning to.
• Have been diagnosed with a chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis infection over the past two months.
• Have attended bath houses, sex clubs and other venues for sexual contact within the past three weeks (21 days); this includes workers and volunteers.
• Have had anonymous or casual sex in the past three weeks (21 days); for example, after using an online dating app, engaged in or planning to take part in sex work.

These at-risk populations have been identified based on Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines.

Booking an appointment for a monkeypox vaccine

Vaccination is by appointment only for at-risk populations. Individuals can call the Public Health hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 to book an appointment.

Vaccination is being offered to these populations to protect against the monkeypox virus and can help reduce serious symptoms. Similar to many other vaccines, the Imvamune vaccine can take up to two weeks for community members to be protected from serious outcomes associated with the monkeypox virus.

To protect the privacy of at-risk community members attending the pop-up vaccination clinic, we request that media not be present at the clinic.

Quick facts

• Monkeypox was identified in Nigeria in 2017 after more than 40 years with no reported cases. Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus that is normally found endemic in central and western Africa. It was first identified in monkeys, but its origins remain unknown.
• Public Health Ontario updates monkeypox data in Ontario on Tuesdays and Fridays. As of Tuesday, June 28, there have been 67 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox reported in Ontario.