San Francisco health officials running low on monkeypox vaccine
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- As the demand for shots surges, San Francisco public health officials said Wednesday they will be out of the city's current allotment of monkeypox vaccine by the end of the day.
Lines several blocks long have formed outside of the monkeypox vaccine clinic at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital ever since a local health emergency over the outbreak of the disease went into effect on Monday.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON MONKEYPOX: California Department of Public Health | SF Department of Public Health | Santa Clara County Department of Public Health
The demand has now outstripped the city's supply from state and federal officials. The clinic will close its doors on Thursday.
"All of the doses currently in our possession have been allotted and accounted for," health officials told KPIX.
Later Wednesday, the San Francisco Department of Public Health clarified that the Zuckerberg San Francisco General vaccine clinic provided over 350 doses on Wednesday and more than 2,000 shots since Monday.
Due to a lack of supply, the clinic will be unable to provide vaccines for walk-in patients on Thursday, but vaccine appointments will still be honored.
Local heath officials said the state has informed them that San Francisco will receive 10,700 monkeypox vaccine doses in the next allotment. That is more than double the previous shipment of 4,220.
"We are awaiting information on when these doses will arrive," health officials told KPIX. "And we will let the community know when they become available...To date, we have only received approximately 12,000 doses from the federal stockpile via CDPH. SFDPH requested 35,000 doses to begin to meet the need."
As of Aug 2, there were 1,155 confirmed cases in California with 368 being in San Francisco. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has 400.
"San Francisco is an epicenter for the country," said San Francisco Public Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip last week in announcing the local health emergency.
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom followed suit, declaring a statewide medical emergency.
Newsom said the declaration will help California coordinate a government-wide response, seek more vaccines and lead outreach and education efforts on where people can get treatment and vaccination.
"We'll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization," Newsom said in a statement announcing his declaration.
The monkeypox virus spreads through prolonged and close skin-to-skin contact, which can include hugging, cuddling and kissing, as well as through the sharing of bedding, towels and clothing. People getting sick so far have mainly been men who have sex with men, though health officials note that the virus can infect anyone.
"Public health officials are clear: stigma is unacceptable and counterproductive in public health response," Michelle Gibbons, executive director of the County Health Executives Association of California said in a statement. "The fact is that monkeypox is primarily spread by skin to skin contact and sharing objects like bedding or towels, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity."
The type of monkeypox virus identified in this outbreak is rarely fatal, and people usually recover within weeks. San Francisco health officials said the best way to keep the virus in check is through vaccination.
"Vaccines are the best way we can protect people and stop the virus," they told KPIX. "It is our goal to distribute the vaccines to those who need it as quickly and as equitably as possible. "
