Monkeypox

Manitoba Health is expanding eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine so people who may be at higher risk of being exposed can be immunized as a preventative measure.

Upcoming clinics

Ashern Public Health Office – Thursday, September 1, 2022 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. walk-ins welcome. Call the office at 204-768-2585 with further questions or to book an appointment on another day.

Oakbank Public Health Office – Friday, September 9, 2022 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – walk-ins welcome. Call the office at 204-444-6130 with further questions or to book an appointment on another day.

Please contact any public health office in Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority with questions related to vaccination and eligibility: Community Health Office listing. Appointments are now available for monkeypox vaccination through the provincial vaccine booking line.  If you wish to be vaccinated for monkeypox and would like to make an appointment, please call 1-844-626-8222.

The vaccine has been available in Manitoba since June for people who may have been exposed to monkeypox. To date, no confirmed cases of monkeypox have been detected in Manitoba.

Manitoba Health is expanding eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine for pre-exposure prophylaxis effective Aug. 29, 2022. Eligibility includes:

• cisgender, transgender or two-spirit people who self-identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) community and who meet at least one of the following criteria:
  • have received a diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection in the past six months (previously, was a diagnosis of chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in the past two months);
  • have had two or more sexual partners in the last 90 days (previously, was in the past 21 days);
  • have had anonymous sex in the past 90 days (e.g. using apps, online sites, formal/informal gatherings) or are planning to (previously, was in the past 21 days);
  • have attended locations for sexual contact (e.g. bath houses or sex clubs) or are planning to;
  • engaged in sex work or plan to, as a worker or client; or
• any sexual contacts of the individuals described above (new).

Please contact any public health office in Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority with any questions related to vaccination and eligibility.: Community Health Office listing. Appointments are now available for monkeypox through the provincial vaccine booking line.  If you wish to be vaccinated for monkeypox and would like to make an appointment, please call 1-844-626-8222 to make an appointment.

Preventive immunization for eligible people can also be booked at three locations in Winnipeg using the online booking tool at the Patient Petal Health portal beginning Monday, Aug. 8:

• Klinic Community Health, 167 Sherbrook St.
• Access Winnipeg West, 280 Booth Dr.
• Our Own Health Centre, 230 Osborne St.

People who do not have internet access can call Health Links-Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or (toll-free) 1-888-315-9257 to book an appointment.

Resources

• Monkeypox ‘What you need to know‘ – Sunshine House
• Monkeypox ‘What you need to know‘ – poster, Sunshine House
• ‘What you need to know’ – poster, Our Own Health Centre
• Monkeypox – infographic, Public Health Agency of Canada
• Monkeypox case and contact management factsheet
  (July 2022)
• Monkeypox vaccine factsheet
  (June 2022)