University Health Services is partnering up with the Kind Clinic on Sept. 21 to host the first monkeypox vaccine clinic on campus.

The Kind Clinic is a nonprofit sexual health clinic with locations across Texas. The clinic offers services such as PrEP, PEP, HIV testing and care, and STI testing and treatment, as well as gender-affirming care.

The vaccine event will take place at the William C. Powers Student Activity Center South Ballroom in room 2.412 from noon to 3 p.m. and is free for all students who meet Austin Public Health’s vaccine eligibility. Individuals qualify for the monkeypox vaccine if they have had close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus within 14 days, if they have had multiple sexual partners in the recent weeks or if they have attended an event where sexual contact occurred. Appointments are not necessary and the clinic will have about 100 first-dose vaccines, said Steven Tamayo, Kind Clinic’s Director of Community Health.

“I think if COVID taught us anything, it’s that we sort of need to get ahead of ourselves when it comes to vaccine safety and health concerns in general,” said Federico Ruiz De Hoyos, a freshman economics major planning on attending the clinic.

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The monkeypox vaccine is a two-shot series given 28 days apart, and the vaccine is most effective two weeks after the second dose, said Terrance Hines, executive director and chief medical officer for UHS.

Students can schedule and receive their second dose with the Kind Clinic at their Koenig location, Tamayo said. The Kind Clinic will provide bus route maps for those who don’t have transportation. If students cannot attend the pop-up clinic, they can schedule an appointment with the Kind Clinic at a later date, Tamayo said.

“It’s important to recognize that monkeypox is very much not like COVID-19, particularly in the way that it’s transmitted,” Hines said.

If students find themselves developing symptoms like a rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, respiratory symptoms, or if they have had exposure to someone with monkeypox, they are encouraged to call the UHS nurse advice line, said Hines.

“This is just a great opportunity for UHS to partner with GSC, the Kind Clinic and PEFSA to get focused messaging to target communities that are most disproportionately impacted by this disease,” Hines said.

Tamayo said he reached out to the Gender and Sexuality Center to create the event to make it accessible to students on campus. Along with the GSC, the Kind Clinic worked with Healthy Horns and the Pride and Equity Faculty Staff Association. 

Tamayo said he wanted to make sure students who may be new to campus are aware of the resources available.

“Being able to normalize the conversation around sexual health services like vaccinations really can (help to break) down stigma,” Tamayo said.