Memo 5: Covid & Monkeypox

Key Points

COVID-19

• BA.5 spike in wastewater data is showing the surge is higher than it has been all year. There are disparities between this data and testing due to underreporting.

  • Specific surges in LA county and New York

• Boosters specifically targeting omicron are in the works

• Accelerated biological aging is showing up in studies of covid-19 infection through shortened telomere length

• Second booster shots are available for ages 50 and up, immunocompromised 12 and older, and for those who got Johnson and Johnson

Monkeypox

• Background information on monkeypox: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Monkeypox.aspx

• Monkeypox can live on surfaces

  • Prevention methods currently suggest treating it like an STI, talking to your partners and being aware of symptoms

• LA County DPH is directing people who think they have monkeypox to these sexual health clinics: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/SexualHealthClinicSchedule.pdf

• Monkeypox vaccine strategy LA county: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/MonkeypoxVaxStrategy.pdf

  • “Stage 4: Expanded PEP for MSM and TG women with recent diagnosis of rectal gonorrhea and syphilis infection in the past 3 months - anticipated start date 7/11 by invitation from HIV and STI providers. • Stage 5: Expanded PEP for a high risk cohort in the LA County jail system – anticipated start date 7/13.”

• Vaccine regimen is two doses 2-4 weeks apart, peak antibodies a month later

• WHO is having a second emergency meeting to decide if monkeypox is a global health emergency

• Massachusetts is advertising people to request vaccines if they meet eligibility requirements: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/monkeypox-vaccination

Sources

• https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/surveillance/wastewater-surveillance/wastewater-surveillance.html

• https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance

• https://www.npr.org/2022/07/11/1110804098/omicron-ba5-variant-covid-reinfections

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33428591/#:~:text=We find that shorter telomeres,developing severe COVID-19 pathologies.

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29801-8

• https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/#:~:text=Second booster shots are available,since your first booster shot.

• http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/monkeypox/

• http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/SexualHealthClinicSchedule.pdf

• http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/MonkeypoxVaxStrategy.pdf

• https://www.vox.com/23197370/monkeypox-vaccine-questions-answered

• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/monkeypox

• https://www.npr.org/2022/07/12/1110897541/monkeypox-outbreak-testing-vaccine-cases

• https://www.mass.gov/info-details/monkeypox-vaccination