Monkeypox cases are on the rise in Greater Manchester. Vaccines have been limited to those at the very highest risk of the disease, with people being invited by text to clinics to get their jab.
But over the weekend, the Northern Contraception, Sexual Health and HIV Service opened up a clinic to all of its registered patients who could be considered at risk, according to those who attended.
Andrew Davies, perhaps better known as drag queen Joanna Cuddle, was among the ‘hundreds’ who spent hours queueing up for a jab. Joanna kept a live diary, tweeting out updates on social media, along with messages to ‘demystify the experience and share knowledge, with an aim to stop panic and stigma’ to keen followers from around the country, also hoping to get a jab.
Kicking off the vaccination day at 8.42am on Sunday, August 7, Joanna tweeted: “First things first: Monkeypox, like HIV is NOT a “gay disease” - everyone can catch it. It just so happens in this country (UK) and a few others - the majority of cases (estimates are around 95 per cent) have been transmitted between [gay, bisexual and] men who have sex with men (GBMSM).
“Secondly: unlike HIV, it is not a sexually transmitted disease, all it requires is close physical contact - or contact with surfaces that have been in contact with someone who is infected.”
In Manchester, various sexual health services - including the Northern - are now inviting people at the highest risk to come in for vaccination. This invitation comes via text, and has been reserved for people who are known to sexual health services to have had multple partners, participate in group sex, or attend sex on premises venues, for example.
“I did not get an invitation by text, but due to a high volume of inquiries, the Northern has opened up today’s vaccination clinic to ALL high risk former patients,” reads Joanna’s tweets. “Hence why I’m stood in a large queue of gay men (with iced lattes) in a car park ON A SUNDAY MORNING.”
By the time Joanna got in the queue, around ‘200 people’ were joining too, with nurses and other clinic staff working through the crowd and handing out ticketed numbers to keep track of patients.
“Queue has moved - about 50 people now inside,” tweeted Joanna at 9.12am.
“Queuing couture is varied, lots of shorts and baseball caps for the sunny weather. People with sunglasses - I applaud your forward thinking!
“The nurses and staff are already making everyone’s experience really nice, having a chuckle with all these people who don’t normally see this side of a sunny Sunday morning unless coming out of the club. We desperately NEED to give more funding to the NHS… and in particular the sexual health services (who have had to deal with this, even though it’s not sexually transmitted) need a huge injection of cash and resources for this, regular sexual health screening and PrEP provision,” Joanna tweeted.
The list of patients eligible for Sunday’s Northern clinic, shared widely on social media and seen by the M.E.N., read: "Patients eligible for the monkeypox vaccine: GBMSM registered under the Northern Sexual Health clinics in Greater Manchester AND:
- are eligible for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (regardless of HIV status) OR
- history of multiple partners in the last month OR
- participating in group sex OR
- attended sex on premises venues OR
- recent bacterial STI within the last 12 months OR
- staff members who work in sex on premises venues such as saunas, who are likely to be regularly exposed to items or surfaces likely to be contaminated.”
Joanna added: “‘Men who have sex with men’ is exclusionary language - if you are a cis man, trans man, trans woman or non binary person who has sex with cis men, trans men, trans women or non binary people then please get vaccinated too.”
“I’m number 41 (I arrived here at 8:30am) - just been given my assessment and consent form to fill out. Just filled out the form - it’s regular ‘Are you allergic to this?’ ‘Are you pregnant?’ (Remember trans men are at risk too). GP address, NHS number (if known), consent and signature etc,” continued Joanna, an hour into the wait. “Almost inside, queue is still growing behind - probably 300 now, lots of familiar faces which is lovely. I do worry about men who have sex with men who aren’t out (or don’t identify as gay or bisexual) and those not on social media.
“We have to wear masks in the centre to continue to cut down on Covid. They provide a clean mask for you here. Remember not to come if you are feeling unwell.
“One important thing - they don’t ask you on the form or in person if you are ‘high risk’ - so don’t worry about having to confirm you have sex with men, or group sex, or visit sex on premise venues, which I know would be a scary thing! You don’t have to ‘out’ yourself in any way.”
Joanna describes the experience as ‘very efficient and friendly’, noting that friends have come together in groups to get their vaccines: “Like a Covid vaccination - the staff on the desk check you in, and just get you to re-confirm everything on the form. No shade to airline staff, but the procedure is painless in comparison!”
Just two hours after joining the queue, Joanna was done. “And I’m done! Very quick and painless, taken to a private ‘pod’ to meet my very friendly nurse Sarah, given more info, asked to confirm again that I wasn’t allergic to anything and then the injection in my arm and DONE!” she tweeted at 10.28am.
“Just want to say a huge THANK YOU again to all the staff today, those working at the vaccination centres and those online. You did and do an AMAZING job. You've made this queer gay man/part time drag queen feel very safe and secure. 10/10 would vaccine again.”
Jane Pilkington, director of population health for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “We’re really pleased that across Greater Manchester, we have vaccinated over 900 people, who are at the highest risk from infection, to help protect them against monkeypox. We’ve had a great response from people we have contacted, and our clinics including those over the weekend, where we vaccinated over 450 people, have been going really well."
It is understood that the majority of clinics in the coming weeks are invite-only. The Manchester Evening News has approached Manchester NHS University Foundation Trust and NHS England about upcoming clinics. We will share details as we get them.
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