Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
US To Offer 800,000 More Monkeypox Shots By August
The Washington Post: Nearly 800,000 Doses Of Monkeypox Vaccine May Be In U.S. By End Of July
Nearly 800,000 more doses of monkeypox vaccine could be ready for distribution in the United States by the end of July following a Food and Drug Administration inspection of a Danish vaccine plant and the expected authorization of the facility, part of an effort to control a record U.S. outbreak of the disease, according to the federal government. About 780,000 doses are at the supplier in Denmark, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the national stockpile where the vaccines are maintained. The shots have been stored in Denmark awaiting the completion of the FDA on-the-ground inspection and authorization. (Sun and McGinley, 7/13)
Bloomberg: Biden's Monkeypox Response Slammed By Richard Burr
A fierce critic of the US Covid-19 strategy, Republican Senator Richard Burr condemned the Biden administration’s response to the outbreak of monkeypox virus and called again for the creation of a new government office to deal specifically with pandemics. (Muller, 7/13)
More on the spread of monkeypox —
Austin American-Statesman: Monkeybox Reaches Community Spread Level In Austin, Texas
Monkeypox in Travis County has now reached the level of community spread, local public health officials said Wednesday. Austin Public Health has confirmed six monkeypox cases, which means the positive cases also have been confirmed by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... Community spread means that people have been infected with the virus without traveling to a high-risk area or being in contact with someone who has traveled to a high-risk area, said Dr. Manish Naik, an internal medicine doctor at Austin Regional Clinic. (Villalpando, 7/13)
SF Gate: San Francisco Is 'Veering Towards A Public Health Mess' On Monkeypox, Lawmaker Says
A Bay Area lawmaker is warning that San Francisco is "veering toward a public health mess" over monkeypox, citing a Wednesday announcement from the San Francisco Department of Public Health that said the agency is running low on monkeypox vaccines and will shutter its clinic at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital until more supply arrives. (Regimbal, 7/13)
AP: Demand For Monkeypox Vaccine Overwhelms NYC System
Soaring demand for the monkeypox vaccine caused the appointment system to crash in New York City, one of many places where supplies have been running out almost as soon as they arrive. City health officials acknowledged the frustration over the limited supply of the vaccine and vowed to build a “stable appointment infrastructure” as the vaccine supply increases. (Calvan, 7/13)
South Florida Sun-Sentinel: The Demand Is High As Monkeypox Vaccines Arrive In Broward County
Monkeypox vaccines finally arrived in Broward County on Tuesday to high demand as residents rushed to receive a dose. (Goodman, 7/13)
Indianapolis Star: Monkeypox Hits 2 In Marion County; State Total Climbs To At Least 12
Two people in Marion County have what are thought to be the first two cases of the rare monkeypox disease in the county, health officials announced Wednesday. Considered "probable" cases for now, the two would bring the total number of cases in the state to at least 12. (Rudavsky, 7/13)
CIDRAP: Global Monkeypox Outbreak Hits 10,000 Cases
In just over 2 months, a global monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries has led to at least 10,857 infections. Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States have reported the most cases. The rapid rise in cases comes as the virus is largely being spread during sexual contact, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). And many MSM in Europe and the United States are demanding access to vaccines that have so far been difficult to acquire. (Soucheray, 7/13)
