DC Health and Mayor Muriel Bowser announced eligible individuals will no longer need to pre-register for the monkeypox vaccine as the city’s clinics transition to walk-up-only services Friday.
District officials said in a release Thursday said eligible individuals can receive their first or second dose of the vaccine at any of the three walk-up clinics across the city. The clinics in Wards 2 and 4 will be open 12 to 8 p.m. Sunday-Friday, and the clinic in Ward 8 will be open from 12 to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Individuals who have already received their first dose of the monkeypox vaccine will receive email guidance on receiving their second dose, according to the release.
“Vaccination doses will be subject to availability at each of the three clinics.” Bowser said in the release, “Residents are encouraged to follow DC Health’s social media channels for updates on availability at each site.”
DC Health officials are offering monkeypox vaccines to adult residents, employees, college students and patients in D.C. who’ve had multiple sexual partners in the last two weeks, as well as sex workers and staff at establishments where sexual activity occurs.
Officials reported 488 monkeypox cases and over 34,000 vaccinations have been administered in the District as of Wednesday.
Monkeypox is spread through direct and indirect contact with skin lesions or through respiratory droplets, most commonly during sexual interactions. Symptoms like fever or chills, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, rash and skin lesions can occur five to 21 days after exposure.
GW announced last month that the Student Health Center is partnering with the DC Department of Health to assess and diagnose monkeypox cases on campus after officials reported the first case of monkeypox in the GW community in late June and treated a “handful” of cases within the University community during the summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recorded more than 24,000 monkeypox cases nationwide since the initial U.S. outbreak in May.