Memo 6: COVID-19 & Monkeypox

Key points

Monkeypox

• People who call their primary care doctor are being directed to emergency rooms to get tested where the facility has to wait for permission from the CDC to test

  • CDC has announced a collaboration with five private companies to double the nation's testing capacity

• There is data to suggest a single dose is effective, but right now health officials are directed to follow the two-dose regimen

• Friday, July 15th: NYC Jynneos vaccine finder limited to a supply of 8,200: https://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/patient/s/monkeypox (all out now), and another 4,000 by referral

• Spread Updates: Monkeypox can pass to a fetus through the placenta & live on surfaces

• For those who have contracted it:

  • CDC is recommending isolation until symptoms have subsided

  • Antivirals can help severity of symptoms

  • UPDATES on Vaccine Info: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/considerations-for-monkeypox-vaccination.html

COVID-19

• Cases appear to be record-breaking at the moment soley using wastewater data, 65% BA.5, but decoupled with hospitalization rates

• Vaccination is not as effective against BA.5, but still offers more protection than if you were unvaccinated.

• Unvaccinated individuals are 15x more at risk with BA.5 for severity and death.

Sources

• https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/health/monkeypox-vaccine-demand/index.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5619a4.htm#:~:text=Vaccinia virus can be transmitted,fomites (4--6).

• https://aspr.hhs.gov/SNS/Pages/JYNNEOS-Distribution.aspx

• https://www.fda.gov/media/75800/download

• Smallpox vaccine antibodies (ACAM2000) persists for decades, 50 years: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/i-was-vaccinated-against/

• https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/implications-emergence-spread-sars-cov-2-variants-concern-ba4-and-ba5

• https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/health/omicron-ba-5-variant-immunity-severity/index.html

• https://www.npr.org/2022/07/15/1111648759/covid-19-coronavirus-omicron-variant-ba5-cdc-vaccines-masks-mayo-clinic

• https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/health/monkeypox-questions-update/index.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/considerations-for-monkeypox-vaccination.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/prevention.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/26/health/monkeypox-vaccine-immunity.html

• https://theconversation.com/monkeypox-we-have-vaccines-and-drugs-to-treat-it-183686

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062527/

• https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article263044553.html

Extra

• Been hearing discussion of ureaplasma more on social media