Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson has thanked NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) for listening to calls and agreeing to open more vaccination sites to facilitate the ongoing roll-out of the monkeypox vaccination across The Bronx and the City. The news follows the opening of a one-day, pop-up monkeypox vaccination site at Bronx High School of Science, located at 75 West 205th Street in Jerome Park, on Sunday, July 17.

 

Further to the announcement on Friday, July 22, Gibson said, “I want to applaud the decision by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for designating Lincoln Hospital as a permanent Bronx site for monkeypox vaccinations. As we continue to see an increase in monkeypox infections, we know it is imperative to have a designated site in our borough for our residents. I want to also thank my fellow borough presidents that joined me in calling for additional vaccines from the federal government and recognize our LGBTQIA+ Task Force for their advocacy as credible messengers disseminating this information to our communities.”

 

Additional sites will also be opened again at Bronx High School of Science. See attached flier further below for more information on site locations, dates and opening times.

She added, “Having a permanent vaccination site is an important first step but we know there is more work to be done to ensure these vaccines are distributed equitably and to our most at risk residents. We will continue to work with our LGBTQIA+ Task Force, healthcare professionals, city officials and all stakeholders on education and prevention to keep our residents and families healthy and safe.”

 

Last week, Gibson had said she was grateful for the one-day mass vaccination site in The Bronx held last Sunday, but given the severity of the monkeypox outbreak, her team was working with DOHMH to advocate for a permanent sexual health clinic that offered monkeypox testing, antiviral treatments, vaccinations, and wrap-around public health services.  

While monkeypox is spreading in NYC, there are things you can do to help prevent it! Learn more from Health Department alumni @dr_demetre: https://t.co/D1BkSa9Gwr

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) July 15, 2022

 

As previously reported by Norwood News, DOHMH officials said that as of June 30, 78 people in New York City had tested positive for orthopoxvirus, and officials added that all such cases were likely monkeypox. They added, “Most of these people have had mild illness, have not been hospitalized, and have recovered on their own. Even with mild illness, the rash and sores from monkeypox can be itchy and painful.”

 

As also reported, DOHHM officials had already emphasized that anyone could get and spread monkeypox, and added that the current cases are primarily spreading among social networks of gay, bisexual and other men who have multiple sexual partners, and therefore this community subset is currently at greater risk of exposure. They said if you have a new or unexpected rash or other symptoms of monkeypox, contact a health care provider.

 

At that time, in terms of vaccination clinics, DOHMH officials had said all appointments had been filled through June 30. “The health department has not yet received additional doses, and will not be able to offer more appointments at this time,” they said in a statement prior to June 30, adding that they were in communication with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to obtain more vaccine supplies to meet demand.

 

As of July 15, DOHMH officials said there were 461 cases of monkeypox in the City, which is more than 30 percent of the recorded cases of the virus per the CDC. “New York City is the epicenter of the monkeypox outbreak in the U.S., and yet does not have sufficient vaccine supply to reach the number of people who need it [to] protect themselves,” a statement from DOHMH officials read.

 

“Given the rapid increase in cases, the Health Department has decided that providing first doses to offer protection to more at-risk New Yorkers is the best strategy until we receive adequate vaccine supply. This single-dose strategy is consistent with the monkeypox vaccine distribution strategy taken in the UK and Canada,” they added.

 

Officials said this decision was based on the available scientific evidence, the accelerating outbreak, the high number of eligible people and demand for vaccine, and extreme shortages of JYNNEOS^™ vaccine nationally. “In many instances, this means that individuals may not get a second dose by the 28-day interval between doses, as is indicated in the FDA prescribing label. Despite the delay, this should not affect the immune response to the second dose,” they said.

 

As also reported on page 11 of the latest print edition of the Norwood News, according to DOHMH, eligibility for the 2-dose JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccination may change as the outbreak evolves, and based on vaccine supply. For now, people who meet all of the following conditions can be vaccinated (though, as above, only one dose may be available in the short-term due to limited supplies supplies):

• are gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, and/or transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender non-binary;
• are aged 18 or older;
• have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days.

 

According to DOHMH, vaccination is not recommended for people who have had a monkeypox infection. “If you had monkeypox, you are currently not eligible to be vaccinated,” officials said.

🚨Book an appointment today🚨

The Bronx will have a Monkeypox Vaccination site for ONE DAY ONLY at the Bronx High School of Science on Sunday, July 17th.

Slots will fill up quickly – sign up today at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/XSOj4vVwCq

— Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson (@bronxbp) July 15, 2022

Gibson had previously said of the monkeypox outbreak, “We learned many lessons during the COVID-19 outbreak where we were forced to play catch-up on understanding the nature of the virus,” she added. “What The Bronx needs now is robust information-sharing to protect our residents as statistics show they are among the most vulnerable population citywide when faced with a health crisis.”

 

The borough president added that Bronxites were among the most vulnerable populations when it came to virus infections generally due to the prevalence of underlying chronic illnesses and conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease. She said it was therefore critical that resources were made available in the borough. “We are also calling on the Center for Disease Control to urgently allocate additional vaccines to New York City and joining with DOHMH to stress the importance of precautions beyond vaccination to our communities,” she added.

 

Norwood News also recently reported on efforts by City health officials and Bronx community leaders to increase awareness and promote education among the transgender community amid a recent and gradual rise in HIV infection rates.

 

In addition to the Bronx High School of Science one-day clinic opened last Sunday, other pop-up, one-day clinics were also opened in other boroughs, in addition to the regular sites at Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic, located at 303 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan, the Central Harlem Health Clinic at 2238 Fifth Avenue (at 137th Street), also in Manhattan, and Corona Sexual Health Clinic, located at 34-33 Junction Boulevard in Queens. For further information on sites, go to NYC.gov/health/Monkeypox.

 

On Monday July 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Gibson also met meet virtually with health officials, The Bronx LGBTQIA+ Task Force and healthcare professionals to further educate residents on the outbreak and transmission of monkeypox, and the need for an equitable distribution of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), at a separate press conference held last Monday, called for an investigation into what he described as “the subpar rollout of testing, vaccinations, and educational material regarding the Monkeypox outbreak.”

 

In a press release issued on Sunday, July 17, Torres said, “As of July 15th, there are 12,556 reported cases of monkeypox around the world, with just under 1,500 cases in the United States. Of the nearly 1,500 cases, about one third of cases, 489, are in New York State.”

 

NYC clinicians: Our new Health Advisory provides updated information on monkeypox, including cases in NYC, guidance on testing, treatment and vaccination. Read the full advisory and share with your networks: https://t.co/eOTJTMqYmx pic.twitter.com/gfGViu0vhq

— Commissioner Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD (@NYCHealthCommr) July 19, 2022

 

DOHMH officials said on July 15 that approximately 14,500 doses had arrived from the federal government, and were administered at mass vaccination sites and clinics in all five boroughs at the weekend.

• 9,200 first dose appointments were made available to the eligible public through the city’s vaccine portal, vax4nyc.nyc.gov/monkeypox. This included the 1,000, which were originally reserved for second doses.
• 4,000 additional doses were made available through referrals from community partner organizations serving highest-risk patients.
• The remaining doses were being reserved for contacts of known cases identified through Health Department contact tracing.

 

 

Monkeypox vaccine appointments will go live at https://t.co/8Msasit341 tomorrow at 6pm. Appointments can also be booked by calling 877-VAX-4NYC.
☑️Check for all updates: https://t.co/bFkb7bM5Ve
☑️Sign up for alerts: text MONKEYPOX to 692-692

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) July 21, 2022

 

“We will continue to advocate for more supply. We are grateful for the federal government’s announcement that more vaccine[s] will arrive in NYC next week, but this will still not be enough,” officials said. “So, until there is sufficient supply in the City, all vaccine doses will be treated as first doses, and we will only begin scheduling second dose appointments once we have enough vaccine to do so. The Department will communicate to people who have received first doses about when second doses are available and how to receive them.”

 

They said New Yorkers can sign up for text notifications to receive alerts about monkeypox in NYC, including appointment releases, by texting MONKEYPOX to 692692 or MONKEYPOXESP for alerts in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply.

 

In addition to vaccine, officials said prevention measures offer some level of protection. These include avoiding close physical contact if sick, especially if there is a new or unexpected rash or sore.

 

To sign up for a monkeypox vaccination, click here. At 7.30 p.m. on July 22, DOHMH announced that all available monkeypox vaccine appointments had been filled. Appointments are still available by calling 877-VAX-4NYC or 877-829-4692.

 

All available online monkeypox vaccine appointments have been filled. Appointments are still available by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692)

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) July 22, 2022

On July 19, NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan shared the latest Monkeypox health advisory and on July 21, DOHMH provided the latest updates on vaccine dose availability and appointments. See attached tweets above for more details.

 

Meanwhile, also on Friday, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand joined 21 U.S. Senate colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to acknowledge the inequities of vaccine access and immediately increase access to the JYNNEOS monkeypox and smallpox vaccine to all communities across the country.

 

The senators wrote a letter to HHS and CDC highlighting the strain that state, local, and health officials are facing trying to handle the increasing number of people seeking vaccine appointments despite limited supplies. They said the lack of available vaccine appointments continues to fuel anxiety about a virus that is generally unfamiliar to Americans, who are urgently looking for solutions, especially those who identify with the LGBTQ+ community.

 

“Monkeypox is spread through direct contact and can infect anyone. Yet health care services are too often inaccessible or otherwise denied to members of at-risk communities, particularly the LGBTQ+ community,” wrote the senators. “It is critical for vaccine access to be equitable, even in the face of high demand. Indeed, demand is so high for vaccination that appointment slots made available by public health agencies have been filled nearly instantly, and some sites have even crashed due to high traffic from our constituents.”

 

Since there is currently more demand than supply for the monkeypox vaccine, the senators urge the departments to work with urgency to take the necessary steps and action to respond to the public health concern fairly and efficiently among all communities — ensuring adequate doses, and equitable distribution of the vaccine in the United States.

 

In addition to Gillibrand, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

 

The full text of the letter can be found here.

https://t.co/hF5b7lJZ2F

— Norwood News (@NorwoodNews) July 23, 2022

On Saturday, July 23, the World Health Organization declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency.