Ontario has expanded access to the monkeypox vaccine to a wider diversity of groups within the larger LGBTQ+ community as well as sex workers.
New guidelines from the Department of Health, released on Wednesday, allow anyone who identifies as two-spirited, non-binary, transgender or as belonging to the larger LGBTQ+ community to receive a preventative vaccine under certain conditions.
These conditions imply that one must have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection; have recently had two or more sexual partners or intend to; having had or intending to have sex with strangers.
People who have participated in events or have visited places dedicated to sexual activities, such as saunas or swingers’ clubs; people who work or volunteer in such places; and people who have close contact with sex workers are also affected.
Until now, in Ontario, the preventive vaccine against monkeypox was reserved for gay or bisexual men under certain conditions.
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