NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and clinical and community partners are collaborating on a response to the growing monkeypox (MPV) outbreak. This includes targeting  limited vaccine to those at highest risk.

Image/UKHSA

To date, CDPH has received 5,400 JYNNEOS™ vaccines, and has distributed all of them to clinical settings, community centers, and social venues in Chicago. The City is expected to receive an additional 15,440 doses from the federal government as soon as tomorrow, as well as 2,600 from the State of Illinois’ allocation, as announced by Governor Pritzker on Thursday.

As of July 22, a total of 202 Chicagoans have been identified as being infected with MPV and Illinois has reported a total of 230 cases, among the top 5 states in the country.  Most, though not all, of the cases in Chicago are in males, and the median age is 35 (patients range from 22 to 66 years old). About 5% of cases in Chicago have required hospitalization and there have been no known deaths from MPV.

Due to still-limited vaccine availability at the national level, CDPH continues to prioritize vaccine for ALL known close contacts of MPV cases, without restrictions.  CDPH is employing a “Ring” strategy to control this outbreak via vaccination. This means vaccination efforts are focused on the most at-risk persons and as more vaccine becomes available, vaccinations will radiate outward to include more Chicagoans.

At this time those who should get the vaccine include gay, bisexual or other (cis or trans) men who have sex with men who ALSO have another risk factor: intimate or sexual contact with other men in a social or sexual venue; multiple or anonymous partners; or giving or receiving money or other goods/services in exchange for sex.

In addition, Chicago will prioritize first doses of vaccine to these highest-risk individuals in Chicago who are not known to be contacts of cases but who may have been exposed–rather than holding back vaccine to be able to give second vaccine doses.