Was finally able to get my monkeypox vaccine today - and most importantly **more vaccine appointments will go live at http://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/monkeypox tomorrow, August 4 at 6 p.m **
As many of you know - setting up an appointment was a nightmare and complete disgrace. After about 15 days of trying I went to a testing site about an hour away because it was the only one with an appointment. Once I got to the facility the check in was simple and the staff was incredibly kind, welcoming and seemed to put folks (myself included) at ease. The process felt quite similar to getting the covid vaccine. I went to a private room and got the shot which didn't hurt - felt the same as any other shot. Then I went to a room where they "monitor" you for 15 minutes to ensure that you don't have a reaction against the vaccine - the same way they did with the covid vaccine.
I had two takeaways from the experience. The first is that our governments, federal and state, completely failed us. But the healthcare workers who are administering the vaccine didn't. They are (for the most part) not creating policy. It is important we don't take out our justified anger on them.
Second is that I am so freaking grateful for activists in our community who are speaking out, keeping us safe and educated - follow @prep4all @actupny @jeffervescense @doctor.darien @doctorcarlton just to name a FEW
#monkeypox #monkeypoxvirus #monkeypoxvirus
