Those at risk of contracting monkeypox can now get vaccinated against the virus at 11 clinics around the state, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Monday.
The move, almost tripling the four locations that had offered the vaccine, is part of the state’s effort to stem a rise in cases. There were 51 reported cases of monkeypox in Massachusetts as of July 15, according to the CDC.
The FDA-licensed Jynneos vaccine can help protect “when properly administered before or soon after exposure,” according to the DPH. It requires two shots, 28 days apart, and people are considered fully vaccinated about two weeks after their second shot.
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As of July 14, 1,600 doses of the Jynneos vaccine had been administered at the state’s four initial clinics, according to a spokeswoman for the department.
Monkeypox vaccines were first distributed to “providers that were seeing the highest volume of patients reporting exposure or likely exposure to monkeypox,” the spokeswoman said. More providers across the state will receive vaccines as the CDC distributes more doses.
John Gatto, senior vice president for community health at the Justice Resource Institute, said Monday that the organization has begun setting up a clinic in Framingham.
“We have had [a] longstanding commitment to addressing public health issues, particularly where there is an intersection with social justice and health equity,” Gatto said. “We are grateful for the partnership with the Mass. Department of Public Health, which will allow us to prioritize monkeypox vaccination for men who have sex with men, where the disease currently is most prevalent.”
People are eligible to get vaccinations if they have known contacts who have been exposed to monkeypox, know a sexual partner has been diagnosed with the virus in the past 14 days, or have had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days in an area with “known monkeypox,” the department said.
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These are the clinic locations offering monkeypox vaccines, with appointments made by phone:
- Fenway Health (Boston), 617-927-6060, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Health Clinic (Boston), 617-726-2748, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Boston Medical Center Infectious Disease Clinic, 617-414-4290, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Outer Cape Cod Health Services (Provincetown), 508-905-2888, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- JRI Health (Framingham), 508-935-2960, Mondays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, 978-685-7663, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Health Innovations (Randolph), 339-987-1956, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Baystate Medical Center Brightwood Health Center (Springfield), 413-794-4458, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tapestry Health (Springfield), 413-586-2016, extension 121, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- AIDS Project Worcester and University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 508-755-3773, extension 113, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Seven Hills Behavioral Health (New Bedford), 774-634-3725, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Anjali Huynh was a Globe intern in 2022.Follow her on Twitter @anjalihuynh.