New York City health officials have received a fresh batch of monkeypox vaccines and planned to take new appointments as of Wednesday afternoon, though glitches plagued the system at the outset.
The NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene tweeted around 10:45 a.m. that more doses had arrived and that it would make appointments to inoculate people. But just before 1 p.m., it said an "unfortunate glitch" made those slots available early, promising more would come available later in the day.
The city said that the glitch was the result of a third party vendor, not the department itself. The department later said it would honor all of the erroneously made appointments from earlier in the day.
The news comes as the city reported that the number of cases continues to double week over week. There were 119 cases as of Wednesday, versus 62 a week earlier.
The city launched a surprise vaccine clinic last month, but it lasted only hours before running out of enough doses of vaccine to handle walk-ins. In addition to the Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic, a temporary vaccine clinic will open at the Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic at 2238 Fifth Avenue for appointments only on Thursday. A third clinic is set to open in Queens at the Corona Sexual Health Clinic later in July, the health department said Wednesday.
Because of the very limited supply of the vaccine, the DOHMH said that eligibility to get it will be limited to gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men and transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender non-binary persons ages 18 and older who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days.
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More appointments are expected to go online in the coming days, and more allocations are expected later in July, according to the city's health department.
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While monkeypox is contagious and rare in the United States, health officials say the risk to the general public is quite low. And this isn't COVID all over again.
As opposed to the early days of the COVID pandemic, when there was no effective treatment, there are already multiple vaccines that work against the orthopoxvirus that causes monkeypox. It's just a matter, again, of ensuring sufficient supply.
That said, there is new evidence the virus may be circulating among people who don't have symptoms, potentially suggesting infections are more widespread than understood.
How Do You Catch Monkeypox?
The CDC issued new monkeypox guidance as the number of suspected cases nationwide boomed, marking America's largest-ever outbreak of monkeypox, which typically has been confined to other continents.
While the CDC says the risk to the general public remains low, people are urged to avoid close contact with those who are sick, including those with skin or genital lesions, as well as sick or dead animals. Anyone displaying symptoms, like unexplained skin rash or lesions, should reach out to their healthcare providers for guidance.
It is also advised to avoid eating meat that comes from wild game or using products (such as creams, powders or lotions) that come from wild animals from Africa.
What Is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958, when outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research -- resulting in its name. (What you need to know about monkeypox.)
The first case in a human was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which still has the majority of infections. Other African countries where it has been found: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone.
Human symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox, the CDC says. It presents itself as a flu-like illness accompanied by lymph-node swelling and rash on the face and body.
Monkeypox starts off with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Monkeypox also causes lymph nodes to swell, something that smallpox does not. The incubation period is usually 7−14 days but can range from 5−21 days.
The CDC is urging healthcare providers in the U.S. to be alert for patients who have rashes consistent with monkeypox, regardless of whether they have traveled or have specific risks for monkeypox. See more information from the travel notice here.
