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Your health matters.

Health care is self care. Take care of yourself by making sure you're up-to-date on recommended vaccinations—like mpox, COVID-19, HPV, and your annual flu vaccine. Then, make a plan to catch up on any vaccinations you've missed!

Immunizations for MSM

Vaccinations for Men Who Have Sex with Men

This list shows which vaccinations you should have to protect your health if you are a man who has had sex with men.

Make sure you and your healthcare provider keep your vaccinations up to date. Your health matters!

Vaccine:
COVID-19

Do you need it?

Yes! All adults are recommended to get a primary series of COVID-19 vaccine plus booster doses when eligible.

Vaccine:
Mpox

Do you need it?

Yes! Men who have sex with other men have an increased likelihood of being exposed to mpox during the current outbreak. View our list of mpox vaccination sites in Iowa to find a site near you and set up an appointment.

Vaccine:
Hepatitis A (Hep A)

Do you need it?

Yes! Men who have sex with men need this vaccine to provide protection against hepatitis A virus, a serious infection of the liver that can be fatal. The vaccine is usually given in 2 doses, 6–18 months apart.

Vaccine:
Hepatitis B (Hep B)

Do you need it?

Yes! Men who have sex with other men have a higher likelihood of acquiring hepatitis B. If you haven’t had a series of hepatitis B vaccinations, you need to get either a 2- or 3-dose series, depending on the brand. If you started a series earlier but didn’t complete it, you can simply continue from where you left off. Ask your healthcare provider if you need screening blood tests for hepatitis B.

Vaccine:
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)

Do you need it?

Maybe. Some adults with certain high-risk conditions,* for example, lack of a functioning spleen, need vaccination with Hib. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out if you need this vaccine.

Vaccine:
Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Do you need it?

Yes! Men who have sex with men are at high risk for infection with HPV. You should be vaccinated against HPV if you are age 26 or younger. Adults age 27 through 45 may also be vaccinated against HPV after a discussion with their healthcare provider. The vaccine is usually given in 2 or 3 doses (depending on the age at which the first dose was given) over a 6-month period; 3 doses are needed for people with a weakened immune system.

Vaccine:
Influenza (Flu)

Do you need it?

Yes! You need to get vaccinated against influenza every fall (or even as late as winter or spring) for your protection and for the protection of others around you.

Vaccine:
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

Do you need it?

Maybe. You need at least 1 dose of MMR vaccine if you were born in 1957 or later. You may also need a second dose.* People with weakened immune systems should not get MMR vaccine.

Vaccine:
Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY)

Do you need it?

Maybe. You may need MenACWY vaccine if you have one of several health conditions,* for example, if you do not have a functioning spleen, and boosters if your risk is ongoing. You need MenACWY if you are age 21 or younger and a first-year college student living in a residence hall and you either have never been vaccinated or were vaccinated before age 16.

Vaccine:
Meningococcal B (MenB)

Do you need it?

Maybe. You may need MenB if you have one of several health conditions,* for example, if you do not have a functioning spleen, and also boosters if your risk is ongoing. You also may need MenB vaccine and a booster if you are at increased risk during a MenB outbreak; check with your local health department. You may also consider getting the MenB vaccine if you are age 23 or younger (even if you don’t have a high-risk medical condition) after a discussion with your healthcare provider.

Vaccine:
Pneumococcal (PPSV23; PCV15, PCV20)

Do you need it?

Maybe. If you are 65 or older or have a certain high-risk condition,* then you need PCV20 alone, or PCV15 followed by PPSV23. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out whether you need pneumococcal vaccination now.

Vaccine:
Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis) (Tdap, Td)

Do you need it?

Yes! If you have not received a dose of Tdap during your lifetime, you need to get Tdap now. After that, you need a Tdap or Td booster dose every 10 years. Consult your healthcare provider if you haven’t had at least 3 tetanus- and diphtheria-toxoid containing shots sometime in your life or if you have a deep or dirty wound.

Vaccine:
Varicella (Chickenpox)

Do you need it?

Maybe. If you’ve never had chickenpox, never were vaccinated, or were vaccinated but only received 1 dose, talk to your healthcare provider to find out if you need this vaccine.* People with a weakened immune system should not get varicella vaccine.

Vaccine:
Zoster (shingles)

Do you need it?

Maybe. If you are age 50 or older, or if you are younger than 50 and immunocompromised, you should get a 2-dose series of the Shingrix vaccine, even if you were already vaccinated with Zostavax.

* Consult your healthcare provider to determine your level of risk for infection and your need for this vaccine.

Mpox vaccine eligibility

Mpox Vaccine Eligibility

The following populations are currently eligible to receive the mpox vaccine in Iowa

Please note: the disease formerly known as monkeypox has been renamed mpox.

UPDATED: March 3, 2023

  • Gay, bisexual, other men who have sex with men (MSM), or transgender people* and their partners
     

  • People living with HIV
     

  • People who report being at a venue in which a suspected, probable, or confirmed case of mpox was identified
     

  • People who report having close contact with someone suspected, probable, or confirmed as having mpox
     

  • People who have had any of the following in the past 6 months:
     

    • Sex at a commercial sex venue
       

    • Sex in association with a large public event in a geographic area where mpox transmission is occurring
       

  • Sexual partners of people with the above risks
     

  • People who anticipate experiencing the above risks

Mpox vaccine locations

Mpox Vaccine Locations

The following locations are currently offering the mpox (formerly monkeypox) vaccine in Iowa. Select the site closest to you for more information on vaccine events or to schedule an appointment.

Burlington

Des Moines County Public Health

522 N 3rd Street 

Burlington, IA 52601

319-753-8290

Please call to request an appointment.

Davenport

Scott County Health Department

600 W. 4th Street

Davenport, IA 52801

563-326-8618

Please call to request an appointment.

Fort Dodge

Webster County Public Health

723 1st Ave South, Ste 220

Fort Dodge, IA 50501

515-573-4107

Please call to request an appointment.

Sioux City

Siouxland District Health Department

1014 Nebraska Street #1435

Sioux City, IA 51105

712-279-6119

Cedar Rapids

Linn County Public Health

1020 6th Street SE

Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

319-892-6095

Please call to request an appointment.

Des Moines

Polk County Health Department

1907 Carpenter Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50314

515-323-5221

Iowa City

Johnson County Public Health

855 South Dubuque Street

Iowa City, IA 52240

319-356-6040

Please call to request an appointment.

Waterloo

Black Hawk County Health Department

1407 Independence Ave #5

Waterloo, IA 50703

319-291-2413

Please call to request an appointment.

Council Bluffs

Pottawattamie County Public Health

600 S 4th Street, #100

Council Bluffs, IA 51503

712-242-1155

Please call to request an appointment.

Dubuque

Dubuque Visiting Nurses Association

660 Iowa Street

Dubuque, IA 52001

563-556-6200

Please call to request an appointment.

Mason City

Cerro Gordo Public Health

2570 4th St SW, STE 1

Mason City, IA 50401

641-421-9300

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Other Options

If none of the mpox vaccination locations listed work for you, please contact the site nearest you geographically. They will have the best information about local resources and other options!

 

More Mpox Resources

Visit our mpox resources page to learn more about mpox, how to prevent it, signs and symptoms, and more!

Looking for information on free HIV testing?
Visit the Stop HIV Iowa service locator!

Please direct any questions related to mpox to your county's public health department or the Iowa HHS Division of Public Health’s main line at (515) 281-7689.

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