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
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.