17,000 more monkeypox vaccine appointments filled in New York City
NEW YORK -- Another round of monkeypox vaccine appointments were made available in New York City on Friday, and once again, they were booked up within minutes.
There's a strong push to slow the spread of monkeypox as the number of cases in the city surpasses 800.
"This is bad. Every time you turn around, it's always something new," East Harlem resident Thomas Gilliam said.
Friday evening, 17,000 doses were made available in the city, and they were gone within minutes.
MONKEYPOX IN NYC: Identifying symptoms, prevention tips, how to get a vaccine and more
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 99 percent of those who have tested positive for monkeypox identify as men who have sex with other men.
"Those of us who were around for HIV/AIDS, it quickly spread to women and families," New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer said.
Friday, the CDC announced the first two cases of monkeypox in children in the United States, including a toddler from California. Both children are said to be doing well.
READ MORE: U.S. confirms first two cases of monkeypox in children — one case is in California
"It's bad enough we suffer from it, now the kids gotta suffer," said East Harlem resident Sean Strange.
Brewer and her colleagues participated in a night of action, handing out flyers and alerting people on how to stay safe.
"There's all these complicated issues, but the most important is to call 311," Brewer said.
Nightlife establishments that cater to the LGBTQ+ community were part of the plan.
Timothy Nashh, from the Bronx, received his first dose on Thursday, but not everyone who has been trying can get one. Health officials say the city has enough doses for about half of the eligible population.
"There's a level of protection that you must have," Nashh said.
While the World Health Organization is looking into whether this is becoming an international crisis, health officials say antiviral medication used to treat smallpox has been approved to treat monkeypox and that there's no shortage of supply.
