LA County to change monkeypox vaccine doses following FDA's new method

Los Angeles County will transition to a newly approved method of administering smaller doses of the monkeypox vaccine starting next week.

Officials say the move will lead to a five-fold increase in the availability of local vaccinations. 

The new method aligns with a new dosing strategy that was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week

The vaccine is able to be administered between layers of skin, in what's called an intradermal injection. The intradermal method requires only roughly one-fifth the amount of vaccine required by the subcutaneous injection, authorities said.

To date, the county has received roughly 43,290 doses of the vaccine 32,000 of which have already been administered.

As of Thursday, the county has identified 738 confirmed or likely cases of monkeypox.