Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) During the summer of 2022, still working to combat the COVID pandemic, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) was faced with another global health crisis: Mpox. On June 30, the ACHD confirmed the first three cases in the county. To respond, the ACHD relied on “bread and butter” public health strategies: In 2022, additional COVID vaccines were approved and distributed nationally. The Novavax vaccine for the primary series and the bivalent booster doses by Pfizer and Moderna. The Novavax vaccine uses 30-year- old technology that is used for vaccines such as hepatitis B and influenza. The ACHD Immunization Clinic and other county vaccine providers offered this vaccine since July. Dozens of patients who were previously skeptical of the mRNA vaccines sought out this new option. old and older had received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 75.5 percent have received two doses.
TEST
ISOLATE Keep people with an infection away from others to reduce further spread
CONTACT TRACE Identify, educate, and monitor people with close contact to a person with the infection
VACCINATE Vaccinate people at risk of infection
Identify those with an infection
From the start of the outbreak, the ACHD worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH), local health care providers, and laboratories to ensure that education, testing, vaccination, and treatment were available. Starting July 6, the ACHD’s Immunization Clinic was the first location in the county to vaccinate people for Mpox. Recognizing the importance of access and equity, ACHD worked with other health care providers to offer the vaccine, including AHN Positive Health Clinic, Allies for Health + Wellbeing, Central Outreach Wellness Center, Metro Community Health Center and UPMC Center of Care for Infectious Diseases. After assessing the needs of residents and vaccine supply, the ACHD worked with the PA DOH and was the first public health jurisdiction in the commonwealth to move to an expanded Mpox vaccine eligibility. At the start of September, ACHD implemented initial Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) eligibility for those interested in getting the Mpox vaccine, meaning high-risk individuals who had not experienced a possible exposure became eligible to get vaccinated. In 2022, 71 Allegheny County residents were diagnosed with a Mpox infection and the ACHD Immunization Clinic had administered 990 doses of the Mpox vaccine. In all, more than 6,168 doses of the vaccine were administered by collaborating health care providers countywide. The Health Department also created an Allegheny County Mpox webpage to keep residents up to date on case counts, as well as information on testing, vaccinations, and resources. Residents can visit the webpage at:
alleghenycounty.us/monkeypox
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