Monkeypox Cases in the US Are Falling. No One Knows Why

There isn't a lot of experience with the vaccine being used against this disease. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in order to prevent the use of a biological weapon. Jynneos was never tested for efficacy against monkeypox in people, despite undergoing human safety studies. It was held in the National Strategic Stockpile as a safer alternative to the older smallpox vaccine, which can cause serious reactions in people with damaged immune systems. On rare occasions, it was released to the health departments.

The modes of transmission that we are dealing with are very different than the modes of transmission that we typically see.

It is too early to say how much immunity Jynneos will create. There was so much demand in big coastal cities that men lined up for hours, online appointment dashboards filled up in minutes, and clinics held back the second dose that lock in immunity. At the cost of requiring a different injection technique that some health care workers weren't familiar with, the White House proposed a dose splitting strategy. Clinics in cities that were swamped by the first wave, such as New York, are posting thousands of new appointments every week.

There could be an oversupply in some areas. Philip Huang is the director of the Dallas County Texas Health and Human Services Department. We don't have any appointments today. The second dose is being given by us.

The open appointments suggest that everyone who is eligible for protection may not be getting it. They may not know they are at risk, they may fear the stigma of stepping forward, or they may not know the vaccine is available because health departments don't have the time or personnel to craft precise messages to hard to reach groups. According to the CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, there is still an active public health emergency.

In a White House briefing this morning, federal health officials acknowledged that they are strapped for cash to create their campaigns, in some cases moving money from HIV and STD programs to pay for vaccine workers and push out education. Rochelle Walensky is the director of the CDC. There is a need for supplemental funds.