Health departments for Salt Lake County, Davis County and Weber-Morgan Counties have monkeypox vaccine doses available for designated populations, officials say, as the number of cases statewide reached 85 Friday.
The Davis County Health Department is hosting a drive-thru clinic for monkeypox vaccinations on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. The health department is located at 22 South State Street in Clearfield.
Appointments are not required for this clinic, but supplies are limited. Doses will be administered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
People eligible for vaccine doses at this drive-thru clinic include:
Any individual who has been exposed to a known case of monkeypox.
Men who have sex with men who have had multiple sexual partners in recent weeks.
Sex workers and members of other high-risk groups.
A spokesperson for the Davis County Health Department clarified that other at-risk groups may include lab workers and health care workers.
Those who have questions about monkeypox vaccine eligibility or the virus in general may call 801-525-5200.
Salt Lake County
The Salt Lake County Health Department still has monkeypox vaccine appointments available. The department will continue to schedule appointments through Sept. 2.
Vaccine appointments in Salt Lake County can be made through the county health department’s website. Only those who meet all of the following criteria are currently eligible for Salt Lake County vaccine doses, according to the county health department:
Men (cisgender or transgender) who have sex with men.
Men who are not in monogamous, exclusive relationships with one other person.
Men who do not have any symptoms of monkeypox.
The Salt Lake County Health Department is also now scheduling appointments for second doses. A second dose can be administered beginning at least 28 days after the first.
To schedule a second dose, call 385-468-4100.
Weber and Morgan Counties
The Weber-Morgan Health Department is currently offering monkeypox vaccines at its clinic in Ogden.
You can confirm your eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine and schedule an Ogden appointment by calling 801-399-7250.
The health department also directed eligible Weber and Morgan county residents to the Davis County vaccine clinic on Saturday.
Monkeypox cases statewide
There have been 85 confirmed and probable monkeypox cases reported in the state since May, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services reported Friday. There were reported 71 cases last week, an increase of 14 cases.
There have been 11 more cases of monkeypox identified in Salt Lake County, for a total of 62.
Since May, there have been nine total cases reported in Utah County, five in Davis County, seven in Weber and Morgan Counties and one case in Summit County.
One monkeypox case also was identified in Tooele County, which had previously not reported any cases.
State officials reported that 2,693 people in Utah have received their first dose of the monkeypox vaccine as of Friday.
Monkeypox is currently circulating within the men who have sex with men (MSM) community, a group that includes people who identify as gay, bisexual, transgender and nonbinary, though anyone can be infected by the virus.
Monkeypox is not considered a threat to the general public at this time, said Nicholas Rupp, a spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Health Department.
The virus is not a sexually transmitted disease, though it can be spread through sexual contact, and condoms do not protect people from monkeypox, health officials advise. It also can be spread on linens, clothing and other surfaces, as well as through direct skin-to-skin contact with a monkeypox rash.
Those experiencing symptoms should immediately isolate and tell their close contacts and partners to keep an eye out for symptoms, officials advise. Contact your local health department or your health care provider or visit a clinic near you. Then, get vaccinated as soon as you are eligible and able.
