Get Vaccinated Against Monkeypox

Get vaccinated against mpox (monkeypox) to protect your health

In May 2022, sexual health clinics in the UK started noticing an outbreak of an unusual condition in patients who were gay or bisexual men, or other men who were having sex within those networks. People were presenting with very painful rashes/sores on their face, ass, genitals, and hands. It was often coupled with feelings of exhaustion, fever, aches, and swollen glands.

Eventually we learned that it was an outbreak of monkeypox, which was happening across central Europe and America. Now it has been renamed as mpox.

The good news is there is a vaccine available for mpox for free from most sexual health clinics. All sexual health and HIV services in the UK are free and confidential.

The only things an individual will need to provide are:

• a name (any name, it doesn’t have to be your real name).
• Date of birth (again any date over the age of 18).
• A UK address – including postcode. You will not need to give evidence that this is your place of residence, it is solely to create a patient profile.
• A mobile telephone number (most services are now e-services and most offer SMS text options).

First doses remain available until 16 June with second doses available until the end of July. 

People using sexual health clinics do not need to provide any evidence of their right to reside in the UK (immigration papers). All information remains confidential and will not be shared with any external government organisations (eg Home Office).

Thanks to people being super-vigilant, and stepping forward for the vaccine, cases have dropped and are remaining low. But we really want to make sure that we don’t get a second outbreak and so we’re asking anyone who hasn’t yet had been vaccinated to call their sexual health clinic and request an mpox vaccine as soon as possible. We’re also asking people who had their first vaccine more than 2-3 months ago, to call their clinic and ask for their second vaccination.

If you want to know more about mpox, please visit Terrence Higgins Trust’s mpox pages. You’ll find information on symptoms and treatment, how to keep you and your partners safe, and vaccine information: https://www.tht.org.uk/mpox 

This information is also available in Spanish: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/sexual-health/mpox-monkeypox-uk/la-viruela-simica-del-mono-en-el-reino-unido and Portuguese: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/sexual-health/mpox-monkeypox-uk/mpox-variola-dos-macacos-no-reino-unido