Mpox

Let’s talk vaccination

Getting vaccinated

Vaccination against mpox is currently available in many regions across Canada. Follow the links below, or contact your local public health agency to find vaccine clinics in your area.

Currently, vaccines against mpox are not widely available in the regions below. However, you may still be able to access the vaccine if you are a close contact of someone who is infectious.

  • Prince Edward Island
  • Yukon

Canada’s vaccination approach

The availability of mpox vaccine varies by province or territory. In some locations, a full course of vaccine is offered. This means two doses are provided, at least 28 days apart. In other areas, vaccines are only available as a single dose, or not at all. Eligibility for the mpox vaccine varies by region, but 2S/GBTQ+ people—particularly folks with multiple sexual partners—are being prioritized in most areas. Getting a first and second dose of the vaccine is important way to protect yourself from current and future outbreaks of mpox.

Due to a limited supply of vaccines, recent guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) suggests second doses of the vaccine can be given using fractional dosing. This means that a smaller amount of vaccine is provided, and the dose is given in the lower layer of the skin. Because of this, your second vaccine might feel different than the first. This fractional dosing strategy is being used by other countries as well, and is supported by evidence.

Vaccine effectiveness

Initial studies suggest vaccination is about 85% effective in preventing mpox, but more research is needed to understand vaccination as a factor in current mpox outbreaks. For example, we don’t know exactly how effective single doses are compared to two doses. Also, we aren’t sure whether the effectiveness of the vaccine depends on the strain of mpox currently circulating.

One thing we’re sure of is that the vaccine is safe. The vaccine teaches your immune system to fight mpox and it takes about 2 weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective. We also know that getting fully vaccinated (including a first and second dose) offers the most protection against mpox.

Not sure if you’ve been vaccinated?

Many people don’t know if they’ve been vaccinated against mpox. If you are under 50, you did not receive the vaccine as part of Canada’s smallpox/mpox vaccination program. Vaccines effective against smallpox and mpox were previously offered to everyone in Canada, but this program ended in 1972.

Not a fan of needles?

If you have a hard time with needles, you may find the vaccines against mpox easier to manage than other vaccines. The vaccine currently available in Canada (Imvamune) is given differently than many other vaccines. Because it is given in or beneath the skin, instead of into muscle, many people find it less painful.

Resources

Why is mpox back in conversation? While cases have been increasing again in Canada this year, it is important to recognize that mpox never really left.

Mpox Explainer: What You Need To Know!

Mpox Community Guide

Mpox Key Points

Other resources