US boosts monkeypox response with 1.8 million doses

The Biden administration speeds up the response as the US represents a third of global monkeypox cases

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  People queue to receive the monkeypox vaccine at a hospital in San Francisco, California. AP

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  California's governor declared a state of emergency over monkeypox, making it the third state in three days to take the step. AP

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  A man holds a sign calling for increased access to the monkeypox vaccine during a protest in San Francisco. AP

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  The mayor of San Francisco announced a local state of emergency over the growing number of monkeypox cases. AP

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  A pharmacist opens a freezer transport box containing the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox in San Francisco. AP

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  Vials of single doses of the Jynneos shot for monkeypox are seen at the vaccine hub at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. AP

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  A pharmacist removes a tray of vials of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox from a box containing 20 doses. AP

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  People queue a monkeypox vaccination site in California. AP

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  A public health worker administers the monkeypox vaccine in Los Angeles, California. AFP

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  Nurses speak with a person looking to receive a monkeypox vaccine at a drive-through vaccination site at the Westchester Medical Centre in Valhalla, New York. Reuters

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  People protest during a rally calling for more government action to combat the spread of monkeypox at Foley Square in New York City. AFP

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  People protest during a rally over the US response to the monkeypox outbreak in Manhattan, New York City. AFP

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  People queue to receive the monkeypox vaccine before the opening of a new mass vaccination site in Brooklyn, New York City. AFP

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  A person waits to receive the monkeypox vaccine in New York City. AFP

More than 1.8 million monkeypox vaccine doses will be available for US states to order from the federal government next week, President Joe Biden's administration announced on Thursday.

"Our feet remain on the gas to do everything we can to end this outbreak," White House monkeypox response team co-ordinator Bob Fenton said on Thursday.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded more than 13,500 presumed monkeypox cases, representing more than a third of the world's 39,000 known infections.

The move releases vaccines earlier than projected and hastens the national response, meeting demand in US cities and states where vaccine appointments have been quickly taken.

"We rapidly scaled up supply of vaccine out in the field, and we are working to meet demand wherever we may find it," Mr Fenton said as part of the national public health emergency response.

"In fact, we have the largest Jynneos vaccine programme of any country in the globe. And we're not done."

The US is co-ordinating talks between the sole producer of the Jynneos vaccine, Bavarian Nordic, and a Michigan company to finish packaging doses already produced, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

Bavarian Nordic's chief executive also said this week that the company was "no longer certain that we can continue to meet the demand" in the US and globally.

Dawn O'Connell, the assistant secretary of US Human and Health Services response, said the Biden administration was working to connect Bavarian Nordic with a US maker to increase vaccine production capacity.

The team said that it is giving priority for 50,000 vaccines for clinics at high-risk events such as Pride, where LGBT members gather, as the outbreak is mainly affecting the gay male community.

It is also working with community organisations to get vaccines to communities of colour because CDC data show the virus is disproportionately affecting them.

"It's critical that we do all we can to keep this dangerous virus from spreading," US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said.

The team said it would offer 50,000 doses of Tpoxx antivirals — the only treatment available — for states to order and give to those at high risk of contracting the virus.