Monkeypox vaccine eligibility expands in Virginia

The Virginia Department of Health Monday updated monkeypox vaccine eligibility statewide to include anyone living with HIV or AIDS and anyone who has been diagnosed with any sexually transmitted infection in the past three months.

Those newly eligible in Henrico can express interest in a monkeypox vaccine with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts beginning Monday, Oct. 3. In the meantime, RHHD officials are preparing by simplifying their vaccine interest form and offering monkeypox vaccine appointments to the remaining eligible people on the list.

“We encourage individuals in our communities to review the new eligibility and consider filling out a vaccine interest form next week if you’re newly eligible,” said Elaine Perry, the director of RHHD. “Thankfully, we’re seeing the numbers of new cases come down, but getting individuals who are likely to be exposed vaccinated can help ensure our communities are protected.”

Because of the slowing demand for monkeypox vaccines in the area and RHHD’s progress in vaccinating eligible people who have filled out a form, the agency no longer needs to ask additional questions to assess risk and offer vaccines to people at highest risk first.

As a result, RHHD is shortening its form and removing many questions related to behavior or demographics.

“Sometimes we need to use a prioritization framework to get vaccines to populations at high risk when there’s a high demand and not enough supply or clinical capacity,” said RHHD Deputy Director Melissa Viray. “It’s always our goal to get vaccines to everyone who is eligible and to get to a place where we can make the process as easy as possible… we’re glad our supply and demand have leveled and we can ask fewer questions of our patients.”

Anyone interested in receiving a monkeypox vaccine can review eligibility requirements and fill out a vaccine interest form at rrhd.gov/monkeypoxvax or by calling (804) 205-3501.