WASHINGTON — DC Health and the Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday plans to move to a single-dose vaccine strategy as more cases of monkeypox continue to appear.
Previously, patients would receive two doses but the shift in strategy comes as officials say the vaccine supply is "very limited" and the most urgent priority has become providing the first dose of the vaccine to high-risk residents.
"This decision is based on the available scientific evidence, the acceleration of the outbreak, the demand for the vaccine from the high number of eligible people, and extreme shortages of the JYNNEOS™ Monkeypox vaccine nationally," said DC Health in a press release.
D.C. follows the United Kingdom, Canada and New York City in moving to the single-dose strategy.
DC Health has reported as of Monday evening there are 172 cases of monkeypox in the District, the highest number of cases per capita in the United States.
Moving to the single-dose strategy has led to officials issuing more than 5,000 additional invitations to high-risk District residents to receive their first dose. People can pre-register to receive a vacine appointment on DC Health's website preventmonkeypox.dc.gov.
"This is extremely important because getting more individuals vaccinated with their first shot will help us to contain the virus," the press release reads. "Additionally, studies have shown that the monkeypox vaccine is effective for at least six months after the first dose."
DC Health believes second doses of the vaccine will be available when needed for those who have already received their first dose. Those patients who have already received their first dose will be notified of their second appointment's temporary postponement.
Currently, the eligibility for the vaccination includes D.C. residents that are 18 years of age or older that fit one of the following descriptions:
- Gay, bisexual and other men 18 and older who have sex with men and have had multiple sexual partners or any anonymous sexual partners in the last 14 days
- Transgender women or nonbinary persons assigned male at birth who have sex with men
- Sex workers
- Staff at establishments where sexual activity occurs including bathhouses, saunas, sex clubs
The median age of cases in D.C. is 32 and the age range is 18-64, with a majority occurring in 30-34-year-old individuals; 63% of the cases have been among people who identify as white, 96% identify as male and 82% identify as gay. So far there have been no fatal cases.