LA County monkeypox vaccine eligibility expands as cases double in a week

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles County health officials announced Tuesday another slight expansion of monkeypox vaccine availability, along with a website allowing eligible residents to register for a waiting list to receive the shot.

L.A. County has received nearly 10,000 monkeypox vaccine doses and expects to get 7,000 more in the coming days. Besides people who've had a close contact or have been at gatherings with a confirmed case, local health jurisdictions are expanding who is eligible to get a JYNNEOS vaccine.

Beginning Wednesday, the monkeypox vaccine in L.A. County will be available for gay men, bisexual men and transgender persons who:

- Were diagnosed with gonorrhea or early syphilis within the past 12 months; or

- Are on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); or

- Attended or worked at a commercial sex venue or other venue where they had anonymous sex or sex with multiple partners (e.g., saunas, bathhouses, sex clubs, sex party) within past 21 days.

L.A. County also announced a new online portal for residents to make vaccine appointments.

"Persons who meet the eligibility criteria through this online system will get on a list to receive vaccine based on vaccine supply," said Andrea Kim, director of DPH's Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control.

As local health officials wait for the federal government to ship more vaccines, the message is one of caution.

"Try to limit your risk. Try to limit that skin-to-skin contact whether that's through sexual partners or keeping clothed while you're dancing, just less skin-to-skin contact," said Dr. Anissa David, health officer for the city of Long Beach.

Health officials want to emphasize there have been no hospitalizations or deaths due to monkeypox infections in L.A. County.

As of Tuesday, there were 120 monkeypox cases in L.A. County, double the 60 that were reported a week ago and up from 54 reported 11 days ago. Since Friday, Long Beach has recorded its first four cases.

In the last several days, monkeypox occurrence in 44 U.S. states reached nearly 2,000 cases. In California, officials are reporting 267 cases.

City News Service contributed to this report.