Need for Monkeypox Vaccine Escalates as Virus Outbreak Soars

The monkeypox virus outbreak has soared in the United States, and demand for the monkeypox vaccine exceeds the country’s supply, Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at a news conference on Friday.

Health officials delivered another 131,000 monkeypox vaccine doses to other jurisdictions and states. The scope of the monkeypox virus outbreak is still unknown because of the limited and slow testing.

According to Dr. Walensky, there have been over 11,000 cases of men who have sex with men, mainly in the United States. She said approximately 1,500 were pinpointed in the United States.

Since the monkeypox virus is more widespread than currently known, Dr. Anne Rimoin is asking people to think about ways to protect themselves.

Officials said a previously ordered 2.5 million monkeypox vaccine doses should arrive late this year. Public health experts have condemned the U.S. response as sluggish and ineffective, criticizing the same problems that hindered the COVID-19 pandemic.

When health officials initially tested monkeypox, for instance, it was difficult to obtain approvals from the CDC, which led to delays that may have allowed the virus to spread unnoticed and unchecked. Dr. Gonsalves said:

Because of the limited supplies of the monkeypox vaccine and the remaining issues with testing, this problem is now going to be exceptionally difficult to deal with.

Federal health officials say they are confident that the CDC is now sufficiently capable of handling the caseload, thanks to an alliance with five commercial testing companies.

Experts advise health officials to be more active in monitoring the disease.

Officials should visit areas where men who have sex with men are present and offer testing in this setting, Dr. Gonsalves said. He added that health officials must also visit congregate locations like homeless shelters as this is where the virus might spread.

Swabbing a monkeypox lesion is necessary to perform a human test, Dr. Walensky said.  

Asymptomatic people must also be tested, and active supervision in animal populations is essential as these might become reservoirs for the virus.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell said that the Biden Administration bought nearly seven million doses of monkeypox vaccine but only received 372,000.

As of Friday, 156,000 vials had been distributed nationally, she added.

Experts say the alternative monkeypox vaccine ACAM2000 can also help prevent monkeypox, and it can be requested by state health officials. However, that particular monkeypox vaccine was known to have notable side effects. O’Connell said the federal government only provided the vaccine ACAM2000 to a few states in limited quantities.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just completed the inspection of Bavarian Nordic’s Danish manufacturing facility and is contemplating whether to approve an additional 780,000 monkeypox vaccine doses made there.

Officials said that those at greatest risk of monkeypox, including those states and jurisdictions where the infection is most prevalent, will be prioritized for monkeypox vaccine supply. “We are working around the clock to increase supply and ensure we’re reaching those most at risk,” O’Connell said.

Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Sources:

The New York Times: Demand for Monkeypox Vaccine Exceeds Supply, C.D.C. Says; by Emily Anthes
Politico: Monkeypox cases are increasing and the U.S. doesn’t have enough vaccines to meet demand; by Krista Mahr
Yahoo! Finance: Monkeypox cases are increasing and the U.S. doesn’t have enough vaccines to meet demand; by Krista Mahr

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of CDC Global’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Province of British Columbia‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License