Mpox: How operators can reduce the risk of spread in community settings

On this page

• Community settings
• How to use this information
• Mpox activity in your community and setting
• Activities that increase the risk of mpox

Community settings

This page contains information for people who operate non-health care community settings. It’s also for organizers of events and activities with a higher risk of spreading mpox (previously known as monkeypox). These include:

• places where people gather
• sex-on-premises venues
• group sex events
• bars, nightclubs and festivals
• group living settings like a shelter, residence or correctional facility
• recreational facilities

How to use this information

If you operate a community setting or organize events, this information can help you:

• identify risk factors associated with mpox transmission, and
• determine which public health measures could help reduce the risk of mpox spreading in your setting

This advice is based on the best available scientific evidence, expert opinion, and precautionary principles. However, please keep in mind:

• it doesn’t list every possible measure that might be useful in a specific setting
• not every measure listed will apply to your setting
• the measures you decide to use should align with your local mpox situation (for example, the local epidemiology or number of cases in your area) and public health advice

Review the sections below for specific questions and actions to consider when assessing your setting and the activities in it. These will also help you determine which measures will help reduce the risk of mpox spreading in your setting.

Learn more about:

• Risk factors associated with mpox transmission

Mpox activity in your community and setting

Anyone can get mpox if they come into close contact with someone who has the virus. You can get mpox from contact with an infected person’s body fluids, lesions, scabs or personal items. It’s possible for mpox to spread through the air, but this plays a small role.

Currently, most cases are among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM), especially those with multiple sexual partners. However, the risk of exposure to the virus is not limited to any particular group or setting.

It’s important to monitor the mpox situation in your community. This will keep you informed about the potential for someone with mpox visiting your setting.

Using several different public health measures together is an effective way to reduce the spread of mpox. If you have questions about any of these measures, consult:

• your regional or local public health authority
• your environmental health officer
• occupational health and safety resources

Questions to consider

• Are infections occurring in your community?
• Are infections occurring in your setting?
• Are infections occurring in settings similar to yours?
• Are people who use your setting at risk of more severe disease or outcomes from mpox? This would include people who are:
  • immunocompromised (including those with advanced or uncontrolled HIV)
  • pregnant
  • young children, including infants

Actions to consider

• Stay informed
  • Contact your local public health authority for information on mpox activity in your area.
  • To learn more about the current mpox situation in Canada, refer to:
    • Mpox: Update
    • Mpox epidemiology update
• Inform others
  • Share information and resources with people who visit your setting about how they can reduce their risk of getting and spreading mpox.
  • In some settings, this may include sharing information from the local public health authority on vaccine eligibility and testing
  • Communicate in a clear and non-stigmatizing way with people who visit your setting about what to do if they develop symptoms or are exposed to mpox.
• Promote disease prevention
• Consider using signs, web notices, social media, email and text messages to remind people to stay home if they have symptoms.
• Encourage people who use your setting to stay home if they’ve been diagnosed with mpox or have symptoms of mpox.
• Promote using several individual public health measures at the same time, such as hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
• Prepare for and respond to outbreaks
  • Create plans and protocols on how to respond when someone with a confirmed or suspected mpox infection is in your setting or has recently visited while infectious. Consult with your occupational health and safety department and local public health authority to develop plans. For example, you may need to:
    • report potential exposures to your local public health authority
    • collect contact information from people who visit your setting to support contact tracing activities
    • keep a supply of medical masks to provide to people with symptoms
    • identify an appropriate space for people with symptoms to isolate
    • clean and disinfect areas used by people with symptoms

Learn more:

• Mpox symptoms
• Mpox vaccines
• Reduce your risk
• Cleaning and disinfecting
• What to do if you've been exposed to mpox

Activities that may increase the risk of mpox spread

Certain activities may increase the risk of transmission if someone with mpox is in your setting. These include:

• close or sexual contact of any kind (oral, anal, vaginal) including kissing, touching each other’s bodies, sharing fetish gear or sex toys
• skin to skin contact (for example, hugging or dancing)
• sharing personal items such as utensils, toothbrushes and razors
• direct contact with personal items used by someone with mpox, such as clothing, bedding, towels, children’s toys, upholstered furniture and other textiles

Mpox is more likely to spread in settings where people engage in close or sexual contact, particularly with:

• new partners
• multiple partners or
• anonymous partners

Questions to consider

• Are people in your setting engaging in activities that could increase the spread of mpox if someone with mpox is present?
• Is your setting responsible for maintaining accommodations, such as sleeping rooms, beds, bedding and towels?

Actions to consider

• Communicate in a clear, age appropriate and non-stigmatizing way with people who visit your setting about activities that may increase exposure to and spread of mpox.
• Encourage measures that may decrease the spread of mpox, including:
  • safer sex practices such as:
    • using protective barriers such as condoms, dental dams, gloves and clothing
    • limiting the number of sexual partners
    • not sharing sex toys and fetish gear
  • remaining fully clothed when physically near others
  • not sharing personal items or objects like utensils, toothbrushes and razors, children’s toys
• Offer protective barriers such as condoms, dental dams and gloves at your setting, if appropriate
• Provide supplies such as:
  • hand soap, a sink with running water, paper towels, or hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
  • tissues
  • waste containers
• Encourage people, through verbal reminders, signs and announcements to:
• clean their hands regularly
• maintain good respiratory etiquette, including:
  • cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, not their hand
  • throw any used tissues into a lined waste container as soon as possible
  • clean their hands immediately afterwards
• wear a well-constructed, well-fitting mask
• Set up cleaning and disinfecting protocols, with a focus on:
  • high-touch surfaces and objects
  • bedding, towels and other textiles, if your setting is responsible for maintaining them
• Remove shared objects that are hard to clean and disinfect, such as upholstered furniture and area rugs

Learn more:

• Clean your hands to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases
• Condoms and dental dams