Monkeypox: Limited supply of vaccine means only those who need it will get it, health officials say

MIAMI VALLEY — The Monkeypox vaccine will only go to those who need it because of the limited amount of vaccine available and because the virus spreads differently than COVID-19, local health officials said Wednesday.

>> RELATED: Butler County reports its first Monkeypox case

The Butler County General Health District on Wednesday afternoon confirmed the county’s first case, while Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County reported the county’s first case three days ago.

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 75 confirmed cases of the virus in Ohio.

“It transmits in a different way, so don’t anticipate the need for large mass scale vaccinations,” Dan Suffoletto, public information manager, Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County, told Kayla McDermott.

“The vaccine is being used strategically to work with individuals who are most at risk and right now it’s those people who have direct exposure,” Suffoletto said.

Roberto Colon, chief medical officer, Miami Valley Hospital, said, “We’re associating this with more intimate activities.”

For those reasons, there are no plans for any kind of mass vaccination clinic in Montgomery or Clark counties, said Suffoletto and Charles Patterson, health commissioner, Clark County Combined Health District.

There are no cases reported in Clark County, he said.

“We are interested in keeping Monkeypox under control and keeping it out of our community,” Patterson said. “Were already working with specially target populations to communicate about what monkey pox is how it spreads and how to keep it at bay.”

Patterson said the issue for him is whether people will submit to contact tracing or sign up for shots when more vaccine becomes available.

Because of the nation’s short supply of vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for health care providers to administer one-fifth of a normal dose of Monkeypox vaccine to eligible Americans, a move is intended to stretch that supply.

Doses are not available yet in the Miami Valley, according to the FDA.

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