The U.S. government is intensifying its efforts to curb the monkeypox outbreak by sending hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses to states in the coming months. These efforts will enhance the ability of those at high risk to access the vaccine, as well as increase supplies to areas experiencing a rise in cases. The plan, announced on Tuesday, includes a rapid expansion of access to the "Jynneos" vaccine developed by Bavarian Nordic, which has been limited until now, to prevent the spread of monkeypox in areas with the highest outbreak rates, according to Reuters.
Local and state health departments can also request supplies of another vaccine developed by Emergent BioSolutions, which is much more widely available but has more side effects and cannot be used by everyone, including those with weakened immune systems.
The Biden administration will allocate 296,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine from the national stockpile to states and territories over the coming weeks, with 56,000 doses allocated immediately, while an additional 1.6 million doses will become available over the following months, officials stated. The United States has reported 306 cases of monkeypox, a viral infection related to smallpox. Although the virus is endemic in parts of Africa, the current outbreak has reached countries where this virus does not typically spread, raising concerns about it becoming more widespread.
Demand for the vaccine is increasing, with a clinic in New York having recently begun offering the vaccine, which quickly ran out of available doses. Previously, health officials focused on vaccinating individuals who had direct contact with confirmed monkeypox cases. The new strategy will widen that scope to include individuals with presumed exposure to infected persons, according to Jennifer McQuiston, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Government officials stated that the goal of this initial phase of the strategy is to slow the spread of the disease.
