![]() “I think the monkeypox strategy makes sense at this point in time,” she said. Patricia Mueller, CEO of Homes First, a company that oversees a series of shelters in Toronto, said she’s been paying close attention to the guidelines out of concern for those who use shelters, and thought the latest changes were “excellent.” The guidelines say those who self-identify as a high-risk contact of a confirmed or probable monkeypox case should first consult their local public health unit to see if a post-exposure vaccine is recommended. ![]() Those who have already been exposed to the monkeypox virus can also receive the vaccine, but only up to 14 days from the date of last exposure, and ideally within four days. The updated guidelines also recommend two doses of the pre-exposure vaccine for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and those who work in certain research laboratories. “And then when people facing homelessness contract monkeypox, they face really special challenges in managing it, and it affects their housing security, it affects where they live, it affects their access to income and it’s really much more challenging for someone who’s homeless than somebody who’s independently housed.” “People experiencing homelessness face special challenges in avoiding exposure to monkeypox, they face special risks, given the disproportionate overlap between the LGBTQ community and the community of sex workers as well as homelessness,” said Orkin. Joseph’s Health Centre, said that while he felt the focus of the updated monkeypox guidelines was appropriate, they could have also underscored how the province will vaccinate those who are experiencing homelessness. Aaron Orkin, director of population health for Inner City Health Associates Toronto and emergency physician at St. “And so we really wanna see homelessness as a priority population for this preventative approach,” said Oudshoorn.Įarlier this month, the City of Toronto confirmed a case of monkeypox in a person who had visited a shelter, prompting concerns from community workers about further infections in the shelter system and calls to prioritize individuals experiencing homelessness for vaccination.ĭr. “What we’ve learned from … the recent COVID-19 pandemic, is that people experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable around their health, because of both pre-existing conditions as well as the environment in which they live (often congregate living environments),“ he said. “They are often already struggling with poor health conditions and anything we can do to protect them from any condition is vital,” said Oudshoorn. Previously, the priority group for the vaccine was gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who met certain criteria.Ībe Oudshoorn, a housing advocate and lead researcher with the Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness based in London, Ont., said it’s “vital” that people experiencing homelessness be included in the expanded vaccine guidelines. It also includes those who have attended events and venues for sex, such as bath houses and sex clubs, or who work or volunteer in these settings, as well as those who are sexual contacts of sex workers. The criteria includes those who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection, have recently had or are planning to have two or more sexual partners and those who have had anonymous sex recently or are planning to. The new guidelines from the Ministry of Health allow people who are two-spirit, non-binary, transgender and who belong to the LGBTQ community, and anyone with partners who identify as such, to receive a single dose of the pre-exposure monkeypox vaccine if they meet certain criteria. Ontario released new guidelines Wednesday that include a broader segment of the LGBTQ population as well as sex workers. TORONTO - Some advocates say Ontario’s expanded eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine should include people experiencing homelessness.
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