Jonathan Van Ness Encourages Others Who Are HIV Positive to Check COVID Vaccine Eligibility
Jonathan Van Ness has received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine!
The Queer Eye star, who is HIV positive, is urging others who have a positive HIV status to do the same.
Van Ness shared a photo of himself receiving the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday and revealed that he's in New York, where the vaccine program expanded their qualifications for which pre-existing conditions qualify someone to receive the vaccine, HIV being one of them.
"In NY, where I’m working, the vaccine program expanded to include people w pre-existing conditions, being HIV+ is one of the conditions that allows folks to be vaccinated, so if you’re HIV+ please check your states guidelines to see if you’re eligible and get vaccinated against covid-19!" Van Ness urged in the Instagram post.
"There was a list of other conditions that allows for vaccination so wherever you are check the lists and see if you can get in line. Some places like Cali will give leftover doses but just see what’s happening in your area. Had I not been looking online everyday I wouldn’t have seen, so def get involved with your search. This was my first shot and other than minor soreness in my arm had no side effects and will get my second shot in a few weeks," he revealed.
While guidelines and qualifiers differ in each state, Van Ness asked fans to help each other access this information so that they too can get vaccinated.
"Each state has different guidelines so you’ll want to look into yours. Definitely need patience, resolve, access to internet to do this so plz if you can help others obtain information or access plz so that. Biggest Hug & Happy Monday! Also, I know my stronger mask should go under, but I didn’t want to take my mask off to put on the stronger under, so I just layered them as was! Stay safe xx," he added.
The 33-year-old reality star revealed his HIV status in 2019 in his tell-all book, Over the Top.
"That day was just as devastating as you would think it would be,” he writes in his memoir, according to The New York Times. With his book, Van Ness told the newspaper that he wants to bring attention to the misperceptions about being HIV positive, and describes himself as "an out-and-proud member of the beautiful HIV-positive community."
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