Europe Distributes Thousands of Monkeypox Vaccines While U.S. Cities Run Out

The European Commission (EC) announced today that the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is responding to the expanding monkeypox virus outbreak with an initial delivery of 5,300 IMVANEX® vaccine doses in Spain.

As of June 28, 2022, HERA purchased 109,090 monkeypox vaccine doses.

The EC stated this is the first of a series of vaccine deliveries that will take place in the coming weeks to ensure that all Member States are ready to respond to the monkeypox outbreak, which has exceeded 4,400 cases globally since early May 2022.

As was the case with COVID-19 vaccines, IMVANEX vaccines will be allocated on a pro-rata basis, according to the population of each country. 

EC Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides commented in a press release, "As of today, the first deliveries of vaccines in response to the monkeypox outbreak are arriving in the most affected countries."

Portugal, Germany, and Belgium will be the next countries to receive vaccine doses.

"The European Health Union responds in real-time to new health threats and protects its citizens."

"This is the first time that we are, through our HERA, directly buying and donating vaccines to Member States."

It is also the first time the EU budget was used to purchase vaccines donated directly to Member States.

"With HERA up and running, the EU has significantly reinforced its capacity to respond and address new health threats decisively, added Kyriakides.

In its recent risk assessment, the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advised affected countries to consider early post-exposure vaccination, using the 3rd generation vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic, to prevent the contagious monkeypox disease.

In the USA, the Jynneos vaccine distribution is managed by the U.S. CDC.

However, according to New York City and Washington DC reports, consumer demand is overwhelming Jynneos vaccine availability.

Eligible New Yorkers who may have been recently exposed to the monkeypox virus can get the two-dose vaccine at the Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic.

Unfortunately, NYC Health's vaccine supply has been exhausted.

And in Washington, DC, Mayor Bowser and DC Health announced a limited amount of monkeypox vaccination appointments would become available to eligible District residents on June 27, 2022.

But, DC Health's website now says, 'All monkeypox vaccine appointments have been scheduled.'

'Residents should check DC Health's social platforms on Wednesday (6/29) to get an update on additional appointment availability.'

Furthermore, based on the rapid increase in monkeypox cases in the USA, 306 patients in twenty-six states as of today, vaccine demand will continue increasing.

To date, the U.S. government has received requests from 32 states and jurisdictions, deploying over 9,000 doses of vaccine.

The United States announced late on June 28, 2022, that it intends to allocate 296,000 vaccine doses over the coming weeks, 56,000 of which will be allocated immediately.

And in the coming months, a combined 1.6 million additional doses will become available.

Additional monkeypox outbreak news is posted at Vax-Before-Travel.

Note: This information was converted into English and manually curated for mobile readership.