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Louisiana Department of Health and Community Partners Announce Monkeypox Vaccine Events in Baton Rouge

The Louisiana Department of Health stated on August 26, 2022, that the LDH, the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor’s Office, and other community partners will organize a series of monkeypox and COVID-19 immunization sessions in Baton Rouge.

As of August 26, Louisiana had documented 162 cases of monkeypox in Louisiana citizens since the outbreak began in the United States in 2022. To present, 13 instances have been found in the Capital region alone.

“With the rising numbers of monkeypox cases in our state, our goal is to meet people who are at risk where they are so they can protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Region 2 Medical Director Dr. Paulette Riveria. “We are so thankful to our community partners for their collaboration and support. We couldn’t do it without them.”

“Similar to our response to COVID-19, we are working with our local partners to ensure equitable access to the necessary resources to keep residents safe and healthy. We know our community partners are vital to the success of addressing this public health emergency,” said Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome. “We appreciate our continued partnership with LDH to address the public health needs of our community.”

The monkeypox and COVID-19 vaccines will be administered by health officials at the following events:

Cedarcrest Bar by Provo
10467 Airline Highway
Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022
5 – 9 p.m.

Splash Nightclub
2183 Highland Road
Friday, Sept. 2, 2022
9 – 11 p.m.

Those who are eligible for the vaccine include:

• Gay, bisexual, other (cis or trans) men who have sex with men OR transgender women and nonbinary persons assigned male at birth who have sex with men AND
• Have had intimate or sexual contact with multiple or anonymous partners in last 14 days or
• Have had intimate or sexual contact with other men in a social or sexual venue in the last 14 days
• Individuals (of any sex/gender identity) who have given or received money or other goods/services in exchange for sex in the last 14 days
• Individuals (of any sex/gender identity) who have been determined to be at high risk for monkeypox exposure by a healthcare provider or public health official.

Monkeypox, while not new, is a potentially serious viral illness caused by a virus not usually seen in the United States and spread through intimate personal contact. The disease can cause illness, including a potentially unpleasant rash that looks like pimples on your skin, blisters, or ulcers. Some patients experience a flu-like condition before developing a rash.

Early data from the CDC indicate that gay, bisexual, same-gender-loving, and other males who have sex with men account for a sizable proportion of cases. Anyone who has had close, personal contact with someone who has monkeypox, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can become infected.

Monkeypox Guidance

Monkeypox testing is now commonly available. Contact your healthcare provider if you have symptoms and want to be tested for monkeypox. Anyone who does not have a provider or insurance can get tested at their parish health unit or community clinic: ldh.la.gov/phu

If your monkeypox test results are positive, you should remain isolated until your rash has healed, all scabs have dropped off, and a fresh layer of intact skin has grown.

Those interested in receiving the vaccine can find more information on the LDH monkeypox webpage, which includes a list of places in Louisiana that have received the vaccine. People can also contact 211 to seek answers to their monkeypox questions.

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