New York City opens more monkeypox vaccination appointments today

CHELSEY, New York City (WABC) — More New York City residents will have a chance to sign up for the monkeypox vaccine Tuesday.

Bookings are taking place as soon as monkeypox vaccine appointments become available.

Today at 1 p.m., the city is expected to release 1,250 appointment time slots at its clinics in Chelsea, Harlem and Corona, Queens.

Another 1,250 will be set aside for direct referral from doctors of high-risk patients.

The city expects to receive another 14,500 doses later this week.
It comes as monkeypox vaccine clinics in Suffolk County this week, which include one in Cherry Grove, Fire Island, and the other in Fire Island Pines.

Of the 238 confirmed cases of monkeypox in New York state, nearly all — 223 — are in the city.

The vast majority are in Manhattan, and a third of cases are in just two LGBTQIA+ neighborhoods: Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen.

Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease. Anyone can get it.

But right now it is spreading mainly among men who have sex with other men, causing a painful rash and flu-like symptoms that may not appear until several weeks after exposure.

At a virtual monkeypox town hall meeting Monday night, city and state health officials said testing is limited.

If you’d like to learn more about how to book an appointment in the city, visit nyc.gov/health/monkeypox.

If you want updates about the vaccine directly to you, you can text “monkeypox” to 692692.

And in Suffolk County, anyone considered high risk can make an appointment for a vaccination through the county’s website.

More news: NYC health officials urge return to indoor masking

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