With mpox infections on the rise in Chicago, health officials are urging people to get vaccinated—and a South Side LGBTQ+ center is stepping up to help.
The Center on Cottage Grove, a program of Center on Halsted, will host three free mpox vaccine clinics this fall in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois and the Care Van.
The clinics will take place on Sept. 22, Oct. 22 and Oct. 23 from 10 a.m.-1 pm. at 6323 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood.
Vaccinations are free, and while registration is encouraged, walk-ins will also be accepted.
Chicago has seen a “summer spike” in mpox infections, with more than 59 new cases reported between June and August, accounting for 83% of new cases this year, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Chicago’s Health Department notes that many of the recent cases have been linked to festivals and sexual networks, and that mpox has primarily been spreading through close contacts, including intimate or anonymous sexual contacts among same-gender-loving men.
Mpox is a viral infection that can cause painful rashes, pimples, or blisters on the face, hands, feet, chest or genitals. Other symptoms may include fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.
The illness usually lasts two to four weeks and can spread through skin-to-skin contact, kissing, sex and contact with contaminated fabrics such as bedding or clothing.
CDPH recommends mpox vaccination for anyone who may be at increased risk:
- gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
- transgender and nonbinary people
- those with multiple or anonymous sexual partners
People who have already been exposed to mpox can also benefit from vaccination if they get it within a few days of exposure.
For more information or to register for the vaccine clinics, contact the HIV/STI Resource HUB at 1-844-482-4040.
