LI getting 2,800 more monkeypox vaccine doses

Nearly 9,000 more doses of the scarce vaccine for monkeypox are headed to New York, including 2,800 to Long Island, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Tuesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the state had 679 confirmed cases, of which 639 were city residents, according to the state Department of Health. There were five each of Suffolk and Nassau residents. There had been three Nassau cases as of Monday and 651 statewide.

As of Monday, about 1,345 people had gotten shots on Long Island, and nearly all the slots booked up soon after being offered. The vaccine, Jynneos, is given in two doses, four weeks apart.

It wasn't immediately clear where or when the new doses would be going into arms on Long Island, but both counties have held vaccine clinics within days of receiving previous shipments.

Almost 99% of city cases are in men who have sex with men — which mirrors the demographics of the global outbreak that started in May — according to an advisory released Monday by the city health department. Those who qualify for the vaccine include men with multiple or anonymous male sex partners.

The State Department of Health has not provided a statewide demographic breakdown.

In past distributions this month from the state, Suffolk, home to gay vacation destination Fire Island, got more vials than anywhere outside the city. This time around, Westchester will receive the most outside of the five boroughs. The county is to get 2,600, compared with 1,800 to Suffolk and 1,000 to Nassau.

The change wasn’t explained in Hochul’s announcement, but state Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett has said allocation was being calculated based on population demographics and infection rates. Westchester has 18 cases in its residents.

The CDC said on Friday that vaccine demand nationwide exceeds supply.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.