B.C. now offering second doses of monkeypox vaccine
People in B.C. who received the monkeypox vaccine are now being offered appointments for a second shot.
The BC Centre for Disease Control made the announcement Monday, saying more than 19,000 initial doses have been administered in the province. In order to be eligible for a second dose, 28 days need to have passed since the first.
"The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends a complete vaccine series of two doses for stronger and longer lasting protection against monkeypox infection," the BC CDC announcement says.
"Your protection is not reduced if you receive a second dose more than 28 days after a first dose. You don't need to start the series over if it's been longer than 28 days since your first dose."
There have been 162 confirmed cases of the virus in British Columbia, with cases in every health authority but Northern Health. The vast majority have been in the Vancouver Coastal region. Vaccination is being offered in all five health authorities.
The province began offering the shots in late July soon after the World Health Organization declared the global outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
Eligibility is limited to those who are most at risk, and anyone who fits the criteria but has not received the first dose is still being encouraged to make an appointment.
The shots are available to those who self-identify as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men and who meet at least one additional criterion.
These include men who have been diagnosed with a bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the past two months, men who are engaged in sex work, those who plan to have anonymous sex and people who are attending or planning to attend bathhouses, sex clubs, or cruising spots like parks.
Close contacts of people who have tested positive are also eligible.
Those who are eligible don’t need to show ID or be covered by the province's medical services plan in order to get the shot. More information on vaccine eligibility and how to book an appointment is available online.
Monkeypox is a viral disease transmitted through direct contact with contaminated objects, people and animals. Symptoms include lesions or sores on the skin, including inside the mouth and on genitals and the peri-anal area. Those with monkeypox typically also experience fever and swollen lymph nodes, Health Canada says.
The first signs include headache, muscle ache, backache, chills and exhaustion, but some mild cases may go undiagnosed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.