Meningitis—two more fatalities in California

In News by AHF

3pm PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY
Press CONFERENCE & TELECON: Tues., April 16 3:00pm

  • Rjay Spoon, a 30 year-old gay man from Downtown Los Angeles, died of acute Neisseria Meningitis on December 16, 2012 in Los Angeles.
  • A 30 year-old San Diego State University student who lived in Chula Vista died of the same disease sometime on December 10, 2012.

In response to lethal cases of bacterial meningitis among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) that has affected men in Los Angeles and New York, AIDS Healthcare Foundation will offer free meningitis vaccines at its AHF Pharmacy locations in West Hollywood (8212 Santa Monica Blvd.) and Hollywood (6210 Sunset Blvd to anyone who thinks that they are at risk or have had exposure

WHAT: PRESS CONFERENCE & TELECONFERENCE
Two more fatalities from bacterial meningitis found in Southern California—

  • Rjay Spoon, a 30 year-old gay man from Downtown Los Angeles, died of acute Neisseria Meningitis on December 16, 2012 in Los Angeles.
  • A 30 year-old San Diego State University student who lived in Chula Vista died of the same disease sometime on December 10, 2012.

AHF to continue offer FREE MENINGITIS VACCINES in response to deadly meningitis cases among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM)—Vaccine to be offered at AHF Pharmacy locations (West Hollywood and Hollywood)

WHEN: TUESDAY, April 16th 2013—-3:00pm (noon) Pacific Time

WHERE: AIDS Healthcare Foundation Headquarters
6255 Sunset Blvd., 21st Floor, (cross street Argyle) Los Angeles CA 90028
Teleconference Dial in information: +1.877.411.9748 participant code #7134323

WHO: Michael Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Parveen Kaur, M.D., Physician, AHF Healthcare Centers (pending)
Hon. John Duran, Councilmember, West Hollywood City Council (pending)
Otto Yang, M.D., Scientific Director, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (pending via telecon)

CONTACTS: Ged Kenslea, AHF Sr. Dir. of Communications (323) 791-5526 cell
Lori Yeghiayan, AHF Assoc. Dir. of Communications (323) 377-4312 cell

LOS ANGELES (APRIL 16, 2013)In response to the confirmation of two additional deaths from bacterial meningitis in Souther California, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will host a PRESS TELECONFERENCE Tuesday April 16 at 3 pm Pacific Time to announce that it will offer free meningitis vaccines starting Monday, April 15th at its AHF Pharmacy locations in West Hollywood (8212 Santa Monica Blvd.) and Hollywood (6210 Sunset Blvd.) and its AHF Hollywood Men’s Wellness Center (1300 N. Vermont Ave, Suite 407, Los Angeles 90027) to anyone who thinks that they are at risk or have had exposure. The vaccine protocol involves one dose for HIV negative individuals, and one plus a booster at eight weeks for HIV positive people.

Concern about possible exposure to, and transmission of bacterial meningococcal infection in the Greater Los Angeles MSM population arose after a 33 year-old West Hollywood resident was diagnosed with the infection which rapidly escalated and has left him on life support shortly after he attended the White Party, an annual gathering of thousands of gay men in Palm Springs over the Easter Weekend. On Saturday, the Los Angeles Times reported, “Health officials said they believe the outbreak in New York is circulating among men who have sex with men and that this particular strain may have been transmitted through intimate encounters.

LOCATIONS for AHF’s FREE meningitis vaccinations:

  • AHF Pharmacy/West Hollywood
    8212 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA , 90046
    Phone: P: (323) 654-0907
    Hours: M-Sat 10am to 7pm, Sun
  • AHF Pharmacy/Sunset (Hollywood)
    6210 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA , 90028
    Phone: P: (323) 860-0173
    Hours: M-Sat 10am to 7pm, Sun
  • AHF Hollywood Men’s Wellness Center
    1300 N. Vermont Ave., Suite 407, Los Angeles, CA , 90027
    Phone: P: (866) 339-2525
    Hours: Mon-Wed-Thu-Fri, 5:30pm to 9:00pm – Saturday, 9:30am – 5:00pm

PLEASE NOTE AHF MEN’S WELLNESS CENTER IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYs

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT AHF’s MENINGITIS VACCINE PROGRAM, PLEASE CALL:

  • Michael Zimmerman, Program Manager, AHF Hollywood Men’s Wellness Program
  • (323) 436-8900 x 5819
  • AHF Main Switchboard (323) 860-5200
AHF Dismayed at LA Public Health Dept. Indifference toward Meningitis cases
Porn Loses Again: Federal Court admits Measure B Proponents & Committee to pornographers’ lawsuit