Atlanta—In an effort to prevent and reduce the severity of monkeypox, 931,155 doses of the Jynneos vaccine were administered and reported to the CDC from May 22, 2022, to October 10, 2022.

Among the 55 U.S. jurisdictions reporting, 51.4% of recipients receiving one or more doses were non-Hispanic white, 22.5% were Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic), and 12.6% were non-Hispanic black or African American (black).

“The percentages of vaccine recipients who were Black (5.6%) and Hispanic (15.5%) during May 22–June 25 increased to 13.3% and 22.7%, respectively, during July 31–October 10,” according to the article in the Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

The CDC reported that, among 496,888 people who received a first dose and were eligible for a second dose during the study period, 57.6% received their second dose. It added that second-dose receipt was highest among older adults, white people, and those from the South (70.0%); it was lowest in the Northeast (51.8%).

“Tracking and addressing disparities in vaccination can reduce inequities, and equitable access to and acceptance of vaccine should be an essential factor in planning vaccination programs, events, and strategies,” the study noted. “Receipt of both first and second doses is necessary for optimal protection against Monkeypox virus infection.”

Weekly first-dose administration peaked at 102,262 during the week of August 7 to August 13, with the majority of vaccine doses (63%) administered in the six states reporting the highest monkeypox case counts—California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, and Texas.

The overwhelming majority of recipients (91.9%) were male; public health officials have stated that those at the greatest risk are men who have sex with men. The majority (65.4%) were aged 25 to 49 years.

“Most vaccine recipients were residents of urban counties (82.5%); 15.9% and 1.6% lived in suburban and rural counties, respectively,” according to the report. With pharmacies not approved to administer the vaccine during that time period, the most common provider sites were public health clinics (41.5%), commercial vaccination service providers (13.6%), medical practices (9.3%), and hospitals (9.1%).

Vaccination with the Jynneos vaccine (Modified Vaccinia Ankara vaccine, Bavarian Nordic) to prevent monkeypox began shortly after confirmation of the first monkeypox case in the current outbreak in the U.S. on May 17, 2022. More than 27,000 cases have been reported across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

The vaccine is licensed by the FDA as a 0.5-mL two-dose series administered subcutaneously 28 days apart to prevent smallpox and monkeypox infections. It has been found to provide protection against monkeypox infection during the current outbreak.

“This report documents the first large-scale effort to provide JYNNEOS vaccine to persons at higher risk for exposure to Monkeypox virus in the United States,” the study authors wrote. “More than 900,000 doses of JYNNEOS vaccine were administered during the first 5 months of the vaccination effort, with approximately 628,000 persons receiving ≥1 dose, and 302,000 persons receiving the complete 2-dose series.”

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