NYC Health + Hospitals announced on November 17, 2022 that in coordination with the NYC Health Department, public hospitals and mobile vaccination clinics it administered over 15,000 doses of the monkeypox (MPV) vaccines, approximately 10% of the nearly 150,000 MPV first and second doses administered citywide. Working with more than 50 community partners, the mobile MPV vaccine program administered over 3,300 vaccinations at over 70 unique sites established at locations that prioritize access and equity for New Yorkers most at risk of MPV exposure. Mobile clinics established at LGBTQIA+ centered events, including parties with close physical or sexual contact and high risk of MPV transmission, vaccinated as many as 40 to 60% of event attendees.
“We have learned many lessons through the pandemic that we have been incorporating and deploying in our healthcare delivery system — one of the foremost lessons being that we must be responsive in real-time,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Health + Hospitals’ mobile units gave us that capability when MPV came to NYC. We deployed vaccines 24/7, where and when people needed them. Thank you to NYC Health + Hospitals, to DOHMH, to all our frontline healthcare workers and to our partners in the community for helping reach this milestone.”
“The City responded to MPV by providing the vaccine in our trusted NYC Health + Hospitals’ clinics, along with mobile units that grounded our approach in equity by bringing the vaccine to all New Yorkers without exception,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, Senior Vice President, Ambulatory Care and Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals.
“When MPV began spreading in New York City, Health + Hospitals mobilized to provide vaccinations as efficiently and conveniently as possible and prioritize outreach to New Yorkers most at risk of exposure,” said Andrew B. Wallach, MD, FACP, Ambulatory Care Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals.
“The City’s MPV vaccination campaign continues doing the hard work of going where vaccination is needed most in partnership with the affected community,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan.
New Yorkers seeking care for suspected MPV should call their healthcare provider immediately. For those who do not have one, they can call 311 to get connected to an NYC Health + Hospitals location or to access NYC Health + Hospital’s Virtual ExpressCare. New Yorkers can also visit the NYC Health Map to find a nearby provider. Care is available in New York City regardless of immigration status, insurance coverage, or ability to pay.
For more information about MPV, please visit the Health Department’s MPV Information Page.
