Monkeypox vaccines are now available on Iowa State’s campus for certain eligible groups at Thielen Student Health Center.

To schedule a vaccine appointment, call the Student Health Center at (515)-294-5801. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, eligible groups include:

• Gay and bisexual men
• Men who have sex with men
• People who are transgender and their partners
• People living with HIV
• People who have suspicion or confirmation they may have been exposed to monkeypox at a venue
• People who have been in close contact with someone who they have a suspicion of or confirmation of a positive monkeypox diagnosis.

According to data gathered by the CDC, as of 1 p.m. on Sept. 12, there have been 22 confirmed monkeypox cases in Iowa, with a total of 21,985 cases having been recorded in the United States.

In a press release from Student Health and Wellness, students are asked to seek a healthcare provider if they think they have been exposed to or have monkeypox. The Student Health Center has been equipped to see students who think they have been exposed.

The release also asked students to reduce the risk of transmission by practicing “honest and open communication about their health and any symptoms they are experiencing.”

In addition to reducing transmission, the release also asks students to reduce the stigma around monkeypox, adding that monkeypox can infect anyone– irrespective of gender identity, sexual orientation, or age.