Demand for monkeypox vaccines continues in the Bay Area, ultimately outpacing supply.
Santa Clara County held its first monkeypox clinic on Wednesday, and nearly 200 people showed up to get vaccinated.
The county’s health department has a limited vaccine supply and has to limit availability to people who could only schedule an appointment.
“If there’s anything we learned in the last couple of years, it’s up to each of us to protect our community,” said Campbell resident Eric Tooley. “And after being isolated from my friends and community for so long, i want to give people a hug without worrying i might be spreading something.”
More information on monkeypox vaccine eligibility and availability in Santa Clara County can be found on the country’s public health website.
San Francisco allocated 4,000 vaccines, but this number is far less than the city requested. They are distributing the shots by appointment at clinics throughout the city.
At Zuckerberg San Franciso General, officials are offering appointments to those who are high risk or people identified as exposed to the monkeypox virus through contact tracing.
Officials also have a limited number of drop-in vaccines each day, and are quickly consumed early in the morning.
Mayor London Breed sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Beccera, stating that San Francisco has more monkeypox cases than most states. She also emphasized the need for more vaccine doses to protect the LGBTQ community and slow the spread of the disease.
Given the limited supply, the federal government estimates 6 to 9 months to get enough doses for everyone who wants one.
Additional information on monkeypox vaccine eligibility and availability can be found on the San Francisco Department of Public Health website.
