Organizations partner to provide no-cost vaccine administration.
APPOINTMENTS STRONGLY SUGGESTED. Limited walk-ins available.
PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride (phoenixpride.org) and Southwest Center (swcenter.org) are partnering to host a FREE and OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC Monkeypox Vaccination Clinic on Sat., Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Southwest Center campus, 1101 N. Central Ave. Phoenix 85014. The event is being supported by the Maricopa County Public Health Department.
APPOINTMENTS FOR THE CLINIC ARE AVAILABLE NOW and can be made online at https://bit.ly/swcclinic. A limited number of walk-in doses will be available while supplies last, but APPOINTMENTS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
No medical referral is needed to participate in the clinic and payment is not required for individuals to receive the vaccine during the event, which will also feature information about HIV/AIDS testing and PREP. Southwest Center will accept a range of health insurance plans, but those without insurance will still be seen. Some clinical restrictions may prevent individuals from receiving the vaccine, and detailed information regarding restrictions and limitations with the monkeypox vaccine can be found online at https://www.maricopa.gov/5825/Monkeypox. Southwest Center representatives are also available to answer additional questions, via email to prideinyourhealth@swcenter.org.
The clinic is being held under the “Pride in Your Health” banner as part of the series of “Fall into Pride” events leading up to the 41st Phoenix Pride Festival & Parade, Oct. 15-16, at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.
“Phoenix Pride is committed to promoting the health and well-being of our entire community, including the LGBTQ+ comm-unity and our allies, but also, the public at large,” Executive Director of Phoenix Pride Mike Fornelli said. “We know that the LGBTQ+ community often faces greater challenges in accessing quality and affordable healthcare, and we continually undertake efforts to provide preventative measures to the community, in conjunction with outstanding healthcare partners like Southwest Center. And, at a time when gay and bi men, in particular, are being stigmatized in association with the spread of monkeypox infections, it is vitally important that we create safe spaces where people know they can be comfortable receiving the preventative care that they need, especially as we head into this year’s Pride Festival weekend.”
“We recognize that being protected and educated on monkeypox and how it spreads is mission-critical to ensure a success-ful, responsible, and safe celebration of Pride here in Phoenix,” Southwest Center Senior Director of Healthcare Operations Casey Simon added. “Our community has responded to monkeypox positively. We are confident that we can continue this momentum of protecting ourselves and others by getting vaccinated before Pride. We are grateful to Phoenix Pride for making the community’s health a priority for this year’s event and to Maricopa County Public Health for their support.”
