Biden administration orders 2.5 million monkeypox vaccines

The Biden administration has ordered 2.5 million monkey vaccines as cases in the US have now exceeded 1400. The vaccines were ordered from Danish company Bavarian Nordic.

The CDC stated that the US had 396 monkeypox cases on Thursday and that the number globally has now reached 5300 worldwide. According to the Health and Human Services (HHS) website, Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS is approved by the FDA.

“We are working around-the-clock with public health officials in states and large metro areas to provide them with vaccines and treatments to respond to the current monkeypox outbreak,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “This order of additional JYNNEOS vaccine will help us push out more vaccine quickly, knowing that we have more doses on the way in the coming months – and is only possible because of our longstanding investment in smallpox and monkeypox preparedness.”

Friday’s order or 2.5 million vaccines adds to a recent order of the same quantity. The HHS has confirmed that deliveries from this order will arrive later this year and will continue through to early 2023.  The HHS intends to have 7 million doses available by mid 2023.

“Our monkeypox vaccination strategy continues to prioritize the equitable distribution of vaccines to communities and individuals with the greatest need,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said, per the Washington Examiner. “I want to acknowledge that if this time the demand for vaccines from jurisdictions is higher than our current available supply and we know that this is frustrating.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) had a committee meeting on June 25th in regard to the monkey pox virus, in which they decided against declaring it a public health emergency. However, they are now considering walking back on this stance.

The WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said “the rapid evolution and emergency nature of the event” has let to the WHO committee arranging another meeting to consider whether to escalate the seriousness of monkeypox. According to Kluge, monkeypox cases have been reported by “household members, heterosexual contacts, and non-sexual contacts as well as among children.”