More than 16,000 new appointments for both first and second doses of the monkeypox vaccine will be available in New York City beginning at 4 p.m. on September 9, according to the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.
The city is also opening a new vaccination clinic — for first doses only — in the Bronx at 1826 Arthur Avenue. The clinic will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be able to administer up to 100 shots per day.
Appointments for first doses are now available on a walk-in basis, while second shots require appointments to be scheduled in advance. Seconds shots are available for those who received their first dose on or before July 23.
“As previous supply constraints loosen, vaccination can be even more convenient and accessible,” Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said in a written statement. “We look forward to serving more New Yorkers and we want to get the message out that now is the time to get vaccinated if you’re eligible. We have appointments available and are ready to welcome clients.”
The city first announced the availability of second shots on September 1, paving the way for New Yorkers to complete the two-dose regimen of the Jynneos vaccine. Folks were previously limited to one shot due to limited supply, but the federal government worked to bolster inventory and stretched the quantity of doses by shifting to an intradermal approach in which shots are injected between layers of skin with just a fraction of a typical dose.
During a City Council hearing last month, Vasan told city lawmakers that the intradermal dosing strategy seems to have a “similar effect on the immune system” as the traditional administration method. The federal government, he said, has started requiring local areas to pivot to the intradermal method in order to receive additional doses.
Monkeypox cases have been declining in New York City since peaking during the final days of July and the first days of August. The drop in cases has coincided with a rise in vaccinations, with more than 88,000 shots already administered across New York City. Still, the city has voiced concern about inequities in the fight agaisnt monkeypox and the Health Department has moved to distribute a share of doses to community-based organizations serving those at greater risk.
The eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine has been limited to those who have had sex with multiple or anonymous partners in the last two weeks and are gay or bisexual men; men who have sex with men or transgender women; transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming; or sex workers and those engaging in survival sex. Among others eligible for the vaccine include those who have been notified by the Health Department that they have been a close contact of someone who has monkeypox.
To see a complete list of places to get vaccinated in New York City, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.
