With support on monkeypox hard to come by, queer communities turn to one another
Tri Vo knew that he had monkeypox before his test came back — what started as painless pimples had turned itchy, then began to feel like glass underneath his skin. It was manageable during the day, but at night, it felt like the glass was vibrating, Vo said.
His boyfriend had read about Tpoxx, the only medical treatment available for monkeypox, and he wanted it. Vo went to an urgent care clinic, but was turned away. His primary care physician, inexperienced with the virus, referred him to another clinic, but the providers there referred him back to his physician again. After days of pain, he tweeted about his frustration, then closed the app to call the doctor again.
