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Erie County Department of Health holding monkeypox vaccine clinic next week

The two-day clinic will be held next week on Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday, July 28 at Evergreen Commons.

ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — The Erie County Department of Health announced Friday that it is teaming up with Evergreen Health to set up a two-day monkeypox vaccine clinic in the county.

The two-day clinic will be held next week on Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday, July 28 at Evergreen Commons located at 67 Prospect Avenue in Buffalo. According to the health department, the clinic aims to vaccinate Erie County residents who are "at the highest risk of monkeypox infection."

"With a limited supply of monkeypox vaccine available, we are reserving these doses for residents at highest risk of infection," said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein.

At this time, the only residents who can get the vaccine are those who meet the current eligibility criteria set by New York State. The health department notes that while there is a limited supply of vaccines, only 600 vaccine doses, additional allocations are expected from the New York State Department of Health in the coming weeks.

"We want to thank Evergreen Health and the Pride Center of WNY for being responsive and helpful in planning these clinics and raising awareness of monkeypox," Burstein said. "Our department will continue to investigate newly identified cases and offer to vaccinate any close contacts. This vaccination strategy will reduce the risk of community transmission, and have a protective benefit for people in our community at highest risk from current outbreaks."

Those eligible to receive the vaccine include:

  • Those at high risk of a recent exposure to monkeypox, including members of the gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming community and other communities of men who have sex with men and who have engaged in intimate or skin-to-skin contact with others in the past 14 days areas where monkeypox is spreading.
  • Individuals who have had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, including men who have sex with men who meet partners through an online website, digital application ("app"), or social event, such as a bar or party.

For more information, or to register for an appointment, click here.

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