Dallas County running out of monkeypox vaccines as cases surge in Texas

Dallas County is running out of monkeypox vaccines as the number of cases in the region continues to rise. 

The county’s health department is allegedly waiting for an incoming shipment of around 300 doses of the Jynneos vaccine, which helps prevents both monkeypox and smallpox. 

Despite placing the order for more doses of the vaccine last week, the health department does not have a specific date of when to expect the vaccines. 

“The reality is we don’t have vaccine available right now,” said Dr. Philipp Huang, director of the county’s health department. “We’re trying to work with the state and federal partners to get as much as we can.”

Because of the low number of vaccines available, Dallas County is prioritizing the ones in stock for people with known skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual. 

While Dallas says it would like to vaccinate more people, it all depends on when they receive the doses from the federal government and how many. 

“If we have adequate supply, and as the supply increases, we certainly hope to get to that,” Huang said. “But at this point, it’s a very limited supply and we have to use it in the most effective manner.”

The U.S. Department of Health claimed it has placed an order for 2.5 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine on July 15. They expect the shipment to be delivered late this year. 

Dallas County reported 52 confirmed cases of monkeypox and an additional two suspected cases on Wednesday. Dallas represents almost 65% of all of Texas’ cases, which have increased to 81 this week. 

Texas, however, is still seeing lower case numbers than other areas in the U.S. On Wednesday, California confirmed 350 cases and New York 581. 

Washington, D.C. has the highest concentration of monkeypox cases per capita, with 122 new confirmed cases on Monday. As in Texas, the vaccines are only available to residents from certain groups. 

The first case of monkeypox was reported in the United Kingdom on May 7, since then the disease has spread to several other countries. 

Monkeypox is similar to smallpox, although milder. Its symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, chills, and exhaustion. It also causes a rash that looks like blisters, according to the CDC. 

The vaccine can help prevent the disease when given within four days of exposure to a monkeypox case. If given 14 after exposure, it can reduce symptoms but it will not prevent the disease.