Mpox

• Imvamune® is a vaccine approved in Canada for protection against mpox, smallpox and related orthopoxvirus infections and diseases.
• Requires two doses, given 28 days apart, for full protection.
• Imvamune® is safe and effective. People immunized with mpox vaccine have less severe symptoms, and studies have shown that two doses reduce the risk of mpox by 66 to 83 percent.
• Can be used before getting exposed to the virus (pre-exposure vaccination) or within 14 days after being exposed (post-exposure vaccination).
• Should be given to someone who got a smallpox vaccine in the past, to ensure protection against mpox.
• Takes two weeks after vaccination to give you protection. During these two weeks, consider reducing your number of close contacts, including sex partners.
• Contains modified virus and cannot make you sick.

• (MSM) Man or Two-Spirit identifying individual who has sex with another person who identifies as a man, including but not limited to individuals who self-identify as trans-gender, cis-gender, Two-Spirit, gender-queer, intersex, and non-binary who meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • have more than one partner
  • are in a relationship where at least one of the partners has other sexual partners
  • have had a confirmed sexually transmitted infection acquired in the last year have engaged in sexual contact in sex-on-premises venues.
• Sexual partners of individuals who meet the criteria above
• Staff or volunteers in sex-on-premises venues where workers may have contact with fomites potentially contaminated with mpox.
• Those who engage in sex tourism regardless of gender, sex assigned at birth, or sexual orientation.
• Individuals who anticipate experiencing any of the above scenarios
• Post-exposure prophylaxis to individuals who have had high risk exposure(s) to a probable or confirmed case of mpox, or within a setting where transmission is happening, if they have not received both doses of pre-exposure vaccination
• Sex workers regardless of gender, sex assigned at birth, or sexual orientation. 

Many people have no side effects from vaccines. For those that do, reactions tend to be mild and go away on their own within a few days. Serious side effects are very rare. The most reported side effects include pain, redness, swelling, itching, firmness at the injection site, muscle pain, headache, chills and fatigue. 

It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is an extremely rare chance of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you will be given medicine to treat the symptoms.