Tix. Keys. Phone. Vax.
READY FOR IT
This kink festival season, be ready for it with preventable shots for MPOX, HEP A, HEP B, and HPV.
By kinksters, for kinksters.
Pulsating bodies in a darkroom, the low hum of deep house, the intoxicating scent of rubber and sweat, the sounds of creaking leather, barking orders and suppressed moaning. We’ve all been waiting for months for the year’s kink, fetish, and BDSM festivals to get started, to give us all the chance to dive headfirst back into the scene, to meet our friends from around the world, and to gear up and get it on.
Whether you’re packing for Antwerp, Berlin, Manchester, GC, or San Francisco, getting the most out of a kinky weekend is all about preparation. It’s about selecting the right gear and toys, planning meets in advance, getting a fresh fade and taking a bit of extra change for the cloakroom. You’ve got your tickets, your phone, your keys. You’ve even gotten your custom made harness and your collection of floggers ready to go.
But are you sure you’re ready for it?
ARE YOU READY FOR IT?
Whether “It” is Darklands, Easter Berlin, MRM, Fetish Week London, Folsom, or any number of upcoming Pride celebrations, asking yourself if you’re Ready For It means thinking about what you can do now to protect yourself for when it’s time to play.
In the same way you might get ready for a scene or a party, by taking your PrEP or condoms, or by negotiating safe words and limits, making sure you’re up to date with vaccines is another way of ensuring your health and wellbeing are protected when you’re getting kinky. Getting your shots for MPOX, HPV, and Hepatitis A and B will significantly lower your chances of getting an STI, meaning that when it comes to serious play, you’ll be Ready For It.
AM I AT RISK?
If you’re a gay/bi/queer man, a non-binary person assigned male at birth who has sex with men, or a trans woman who has sex with men, you are at a higher risk of picking up or passing on MPOX, HPV, and Hep A and B. But all risk is contextual, and if you’re having sex at one of the large kink, fetish, pride sex-events this year, or having a dirty weekend away, you’re more likely to be exposed to preventable STIs.
WHICH VACCINATIONS CAN I GET?
You can get the following vaccinations for free from most NHS sexual health clinics, provided you’re eligible. We recommend these three shots, as they are amongst the most common STIs that can be prevented by a vaccine.
✔ MPOX
formerly known as monkeypox.
✔ Hepatitis A and B
you can usually get this as a single shot.
✔ HPV
free of charge if you’re under 45.
CAN I GET MY VACCINES ALL AT ONCE?
While you might not be able to get all of your shots at once for logistic reasons, in most cases there is no health risk to taking more than one shot at a time.
It is also safe to continue HIV meds, PrEP and/or HRT when getting the MPOX, HPV, or Hep A and B vaccines.
WHAT DOES A VACCINE SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?
After your first shot, you will usually need a booster shot some weeks or months later to ensure it’s most effective. So, if you want to be Ready For It, it’s worth thinking about which vaccines you need as far in advance of your planned events as possible.
MPOX requires 2 shots, 4 weeks apart.
Hep A and B combined requires 3 shots, with the second given 1 month after the first, and the third given 6 months after the first.
HPV requires 2 shots, 6 months apart. If you’re HIV positive, you may require a third shot.
Even getting one shot of a vaccine will provide you with significant protection, but you need to complete the course to get the maximum effect.
WHERE CAN I GET MY SHOTS?
Use the clinic-finder links below to see where you can get your vaccinations from.
HPV, Hepatitis A and B
MPOX
ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS I SHOULD CONSIDER?
✔ If you’re living with HIV remember to check you have enough HIV meds before you travel.
✔ If you’re a PrEP user, or thinking about using PrEP, check that you have enough PrEP in advance. PrEP is available for free in the UK. Find your nearest service here.
✔ Get your tix, your phone, your keys…..and your vax.
Now you’re Ready For It.
CREDITS
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