NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – If you’re looking to get either a Mpox or COVID-19 vaccine, there’s a free clinic Thursday in Norfolk offering both.

The Virginia Beach Department of Public Health is hosting the clinic at MJ’s Tavern, located at 4019 Granby Street. It runs from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on January 19.

Mpox Vaccine

Mpox is a rare, contagious rash illness caused by the monkeypox virus. Vaccination is an important prevention tool.

In Virginia, a two-dose series of a monkeypox vaccine (JYNNEOS) is recommended for people who identify with any of the groups listed below.

  • Those who within the past 14 days have had an intermediate- to high-risk exposure to a known and documented mpox case.
  • Those with certain risk factors and recent experiences that might make them more likely to have been recently exposed to mpox:
    • Person (of any sexual orientation or gender) who has had anonymous or multiple (more than one) sexual partners in the last two weeks
    • Person (of any sexual orientation or gender) diagnosed with any sexually transmitted infection in the past three months
    • Person (of any sexual orientation or gender) who is living with HIV/AIDS
    • Staff (of any sexual orientation or gender) at establishments or events where sexual activity occurs
    • Sex workers (of any sexual orientation or gender)

Visit this link to schedule an appointment for the Mpox Vaccination on Thursday, Jan. 19.

COVID-19 Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends a single dose of the new COVID-19 bivalent booster at least two months after a completed primary series or monovalent booster vaccination.

  • The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals aged 5 years and older.
  • The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals aged 6 years and older. 
  • The bivalent vaccines, also known as “updated boosters,” contain messenger RNA (mRNA) components of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.
  • Monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized as booster doses for individuals aged 5 years and older. This means that monovalent booster doses can no longer be given as boosters to people aged 5 years and older.

Click on the links below to make an appointment to receive the COVID-19 Bivalent Booster on Jan. 19. Appointments are encouraged, but organizers say walk-ins will be accepted.

For more information on monkeypox vaccines, visit the VDH website or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Monkeypox” website.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Vaccines for COVID-19” page at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html.