Additional, unexpected batch of monkeypox vaccines coming to Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An additional, unexpected batch of monkeypox vaccines will be coming to Philadelphia. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole revealed the news Monday morning.
This comes as the number of cases in the city continues to increase and community and health leaders are now vowing to correct the racial inequities in vaccine distribution.
Philadelphia now has 257 cases of monkeypox in the city, a 26% increase over the last week. But fortunately, the city will be getting a new, big supply of vaccines.
"This is not the kind of data we had on COVID vaccine where millions of doses were given based on the science. We have to think this is going to be safe and effective," Dr. Bettigole said.
Dr. Bettigole was among a number of community and health leaders at the Mazzoni Center addressing the monkeypox outbreak.
"We must make sure quality care is getting to those who need it most," President and Executive Officer of Mazzoni Center Dultan Shakir said.
Health leaders say a priority will be getting that vaccine to members of the African American community, which has higher cases, but lower rates of vaccinations.
"Unfortunately, it's a story we've seen before," regional director of U.S. Health and Human Services Dr. Ala Stanford said.
Dr. Stanford, who started at the Black Doctors Consortium to deal with vaccine inequities during the pandemic is now the regional director for Health and Human Services.
"We have to have trusted messengers, leaders, providers administering the vaccine, doing the educating, making the community more aware," Dr. Stanford said.
Health department vaccine clinics will be expanding to community groups. More monkeypox vaccines will not be administrated in neighborhoods and also at gay pride events, targeting the community most at-risk.
"It is not a gay disease. It can impact anybody, but in the LGBTQ community, there is a long history here of understanding what can happen," Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta said.
Philadelphia health officials say there are about 12,000 people in the city who should be getting two shots of the vaccine and they'll be ramping up the rollout of shots now that more are arriving.
