White House Announces New Actions To Combat Monkeypox Outbreak

The White House National Monkeypox Response team announced a series of actions to further accelerate the Biden administration’s response to the monkeypox outbreak and mitigate the spread of the virus.

Since the first case of the infectious viral disease was confirmed in the United States on May 18, a total of 14,115 cases spread across more than 60 jurisdictions were reported in the country.

On August 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared monkeypox a public health emergency.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the Emergency Use Authorization of the JYNNEOS vaccine to be administered intradermally in individuals 18 years of age and older.

To increase availability of vaccines, tests, and treatments, and protect communities most at risk of contracting the virus, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accelerated Phase 4 of its National Vaccine Strategy and will be making an additional 1.8 million doses available for ordering starting Monday.

This is in addition to 442,000 doses of vaccine that HHS began distributing to jurisdictions across the country earlier this week.

HHS is launching a pilot program to provide additional vaccine allocations to state and local health departments in jurisdictions that are hosting large events that attract gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in the coming weeks and months.

The LGBTQI+ community is said to be most at risk of contracting the virus.

The Administration has already started working with North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana health departments to prepare for large LGBTQI+ gatherings in those states in the coming days and weeks, the White House said Thursday. A plan is in place for North Carolina to administer vaccines during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on August 20 and 21.

Next week, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response plans to make available 50,000 patient courses of TPOXX, another treatment for monkeypox, to make the treatment more readily available for providers and patients.

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