Monkeypox
 

If you follow the news a little or a lot you have probably heard of moneypox in recent weeks. There's new developments involving men who have sex with men. The virus is spreading among us.

CFS Member stachehunter shared this on a post on the Sex Listings for the Fair Theater, a big NYC sex venue.

This includes a video and an article from The Guardian UK Monkeypox alert in Spain after 23 people show symptoms

I added in a little more from CNBC CDC officials sound alarm for gay and bisexual men as monkeypox spreads in community and also from PBS Monkeypox outbreak likely spread by sex at 2 raves in Europe, says WHO expert

The PBS story I watched on the Newshour last night included video of the rash/lesions. It's not as bad as COVID but still not something you want to get, looks like chicken pox on steroids.

Be aware, inform yourselves, decide what level of risks you can tolerate, and take appropriate precautions.

~ Bob S., CFS Manager/Editor

A couple more articles:

From the Daily Mail, Grindr sends out monkeypox alert and urges gay and bisexual men to be aware of virus's tell-tale rash: This includes photos of what it looks like as well as advice. Also from Pink News: Monkeypox: Expert explains why it isn’t a ‘gay disease’ and warns of risk of stigma

If your parents are still living, ask them if you got the smallpox vaccine. I called the dept. of health for the county I grew up in and they did not have any records on me but a nurse there told me to check if I have a circular dot type scar on my arm which is what the smallpox vaccine leaves on you at the injection site.
It's about 1/2 inch across.

https://www.healthline.com/health/sm...bcg-with-photo

Another update from Dr Campbell -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJDjKZJBcqQ
17 minutes. At 12 minutes he discusses how this virus is mutating, which apparently is unusual at this rapid pace for a DNA virus. Covid is an RNA virus.

I was wondering about The Fair theater and the possibility of infected men cruising there. I know a guy who sucks cock very good, I wonder if he's been infected.

Here's something to bookmark if you're interested.
https://gothamist.com/news/monkeypox...nyc-and-beyond
Looks like we're getting about 60 new cases reported every day on a slight downward curve.

I got my first shot today. It's the lower dose intradermal shot, which they put on the inside of the forearm. They didn't ask any prying questions in person. Like the covid shot, they make you wait for 15 minutes after the shot to make sure there are no adverse reactions.

There are now many walk in vaccination clinics in NYC for monkeypox.
Google NYC vaccine finder and click the monkeypox button. There is one at 136 west 42nd St in the old Modell's space. :) You must show state or city ID in order to enter.

From Gothamist :

New York City’s health department is warning of another increase in local cases of the mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, and urging medical professionals to monitor for cases ahead of the summer, when higher transmission may occur.

Health officials said in an advisory on Friday that a “substantial” uptick in reported mpox cases has occurred in the city since October, even as the overall number of cases is low compared to an outbreak in 2022. Monthly cases peaked at 51 this past January and have averaged 36 per month since the fall — up from two to 20 monthly cases earlier in 2023.

“This, along with the large outbreak of the more severe Clade I monkeypox virus (MPXV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, highlight the need for ongoing vigilance,” the advisory states. The virus can cause a rash that spreads across a patient’s body, along with flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, headache and muscle soreness.

Most of the recent cases were mild, though 10 people were hospitalized, according to the health department. Men who have sex with men accounted for 94% of the cases, while the majority of the cases involved Black or Hispanic people between the ages of 25 and 44. Three-quarters of the patients were unvaccinated against mpox or had only received one dose of the vaccine.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says there are two types of the virus: a more severe Clade I and a less severe Clade II. There have been no reported cases of Clade I in the U.S., but the recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo poses a risk of introduction in the States via travel, the Department of Health advisory explains.

While 99.9% of people survive Clade II, some outbreaks of Clade I, which is endemic in Central Africa, have killed up to 10% of people who got sick, according to the CDC. Treatment and vaccination protocols for both types of the virus are similar.

“It is estimated that only one in four people recommended to receive the vaccine in the U.S. are fully vaccinated,” the health advisory says. “Increasing vaccine uptake is essential to preventing infections and severe disease.”

DOH officials encouraged people with potential risk of exposure to mpox to get two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine. They also recommended that health care providers make testing for the virus easily available, follow state guidance on reviewing patients’ sexual history, and share precautions with them on preventing transmission and alleviating symptoms.