Free monkeypox vaccines available for anyone 18 and over this weekend at Pride Galveston – KHOU.com

If you haven't been able to get a monkeypox vaccine, they'll be offered to anyone who's at least 18 this weekend during the three-day event.

GALVESTON, Texas Free monkeypoxvaccines are being offered to anyone 18 and over this weekend at Pride Galveston, according to the Galveston County Health Department.

You don't need an appointment and you don't have to be a resident of Galveston County. You can fill out a registration and screening formonline in advance.

Free monkeypox vaccines schedule

The vaccines will be available each day during the three-day event.

Galveston County Health Authority Dr. Philip Keiser said they only have five monkeypox cases there, but they want to keep those numbers low by vaccinating as many people as possible.

He said the Biden administration recently asked health departments to do outreach events like this one to help control the spread.

Now we wanted to do it, but we didnt have enough vaccine to really do it. So, we called up our colleagues at the state department of health services and ended up working with Fort Bend County, Harris County, City of Houston. And theyve all donated vaccines for this effort," Kaiser said.

He said they have enough doses for about 2,000 people.

They're also offering free HIV and syphilis testing and free condoms at Pride Galveston, which takes place Friday through Sunday.

Harris County Public Health is urging those eligible to receive the monkeypox vaccine to make an appointment as soon as possible.

This comes after the health department confirmed a patient who was presumptive positive for monkeypox, and also had other severe illnesses, died Sunday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to confirm the positive status of the test sample. The cause of death of the patient is unknown.

During a press conference Tuesday, Dr. Ericka Brown said those who are severely immunocompromised should get the vaccine.

Those wanting a vaccination can call the Harris County Public Health hotline at 832-927-0707 to make an appointment.

As of Tuesday, the health department reported a total of 563 monkeypox cases with 455 of those cases in Houston.

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Free monkeypox vaccines available for anyone 18 and over this weekend at Pride Galveston - KHOU.com