Question: Regarding monkeypox, can I get the vaccine because I have to touch my customers’ skin?
Answer: No, unless you also have another risk factor that makes you eligible (see below). The virus can spread through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has monkeypox lesions, so personal service providers such as barbers, massage therapists and others “should consider asking clients about any new or unexplained rash or sores and take precautions,” but that doesn’t include getting vaccinated at this point, according to the state Department of Health’s Disease Outbreak Control Division, which addresses this and other questions at 808ne.ws/pox.
Hawaii’s limited supply of vaccine became available Wednesday only to those at higher risk of contracting the disease:
>> Individuals exposed to someone confirmed to have monkeypox within the past 14 days.
>> “Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and transgender individuals with high-risk intimate contact in venues (sex-on-premises events, bathhouses, sex clubs) or areas where monkeypox is known to be spreading in the last 14 days.”
DOH told eligible people to call 808-586-4462 to make an appointment; scheduling is not available through individual doctors or clinics. We received complaints Wednesday that it was difficult to get through to the number, and emailed the Health Department asking about hold times, but did not hear back by deadline.
As for preventing the spread of monkeypox, the DOH website said that everyone should wash their hands properly. Anyone with monkeypox symptoms should avoid close contact with others, and alert their doctor ahead of an appointment. Those at increased risk for the disease “should avoid anonymous sexual contact or events where individuals may have close bodily contact with others,” it said.
Q: Regarding identity theft, the FTC is a good resource for victims, but you should also mention the ITRC. On the same topic, please emphasize how important it is to leave a detailed voicemail now, when so few people answer the phone, which is understandable with all the scam calls.
A: Yes, the Identity Theft Resource Center, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1999, provides information to help people lower their risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, as well as guidance for those who have already been compromised. There is no charge for either service, which is available through idtheftcenter.org or by calling 888-400-5530.
As for the Federal Trade Commission, its website identitytheft.gov helps victims report identity theft and create a step-by-step plan to recover from it.
As for your second suggestion, yes, legitimate callers should leave a detailed voicemail with their name, message and callback number. As scam and spam calls proliferate, many people are less likely to answer or return calls from numbers they don’t recognize. And consumers should be aware of security functions their telephone provider may offer at no extra charge; some mobile-phone plans send unrecognized callers straight to voicemail, for example.
Q: Regarding jury duty, do you get paid for that?
A: Yes. “You will receive $30 for each day of jury service plus round-trip mileage at 33 cents per mile from your home to the courts,” according to the Hawaii Judiciary website. “If you ask to be excused from jury duty and the judge grants your request, you may only be entitled to mileage reimbursement.
“Checks are mailed to your home approximately 4 or 5 weeks after a jury pay period ends. The payroll cycle closes on the 15th and last day of each month.”
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
