Mpox vaccine deliveries will be paused during the week of Thanksgiving, November 20-24, 2023.
Ordering will remain open this week until Wednesday, November 15 by 5:00 PM. The last delivery for mpox vaccine will be on Thursday, November 16.
Remember to submit your temperatures to tempcheck@phila.gov and complete a reconciliation of vaccine on hand for your order to be approved.
Click the button below to submit your order request for mpox vaccine.
Deliveries for mpox vaccine will resume on the week of November 27. If you have any questions, please contact Marguerite Horton at marguerite.horton@phila.gov.
The City of Philadelphia will be closed on Monday, October 9th in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Mpox orders are due by 5pm on Tuesday, October 10th during this week. Deliveries will continue as normal.
The City of Philadelphia will be closed on Monday, September 4th in observance of Labor Day. Mpox orders are due by 5pm on Tuesday, September 5th during this week. Deliveries will continue as normal.
Mpox cases in Philadelphia peaked in July 2022, and have since decreased significantly.
Around the country, there have been sporadic mpox cases in 2023. Chicago, however, has experienced a resurgence of mpox cases between April and May 2023.
In May 2023, one mpox case was identified in Philadelphia after several months with no cases. More cases are expected to be identified in Philadelphia in the coming days and weeks.
“Since there was one reported case in May, [I suspect] that there were others that were subclinical or went undiagnosed,” says Dr. Lenore Asbel, infectious disease expert at the Division of Disease Control.
“As providers [and] the community were aware of the cases in Chicago, there [has been] a slight uptick in both providers offering and patients seeking vaccine. We are trying to be proactive as last year the increase coincided with Pride activities, travel, etc.”
Mpox Cases in Chicago
Of the mpox cases reported in Chicago, all were among men who were symptomatic, and none of these patients were hospitalized.
9 out of the 13 patients who are known to have had mpox in Chicago between April 17 and May 5 had received 2 JYNNEOS vaccine doses.
While patients who tested positive in Chicago were largely vaccinated, those who have been fully vaccinated are likely to develop milder symptoms than those who aren’t vaccinated. They are also less likely to transmit the virus to others.
There have been 20 additional mpox cases reported in Chicago since May 5. Track reported mpox cases in Chicago here.
What You Need to Know
The CDC offers communication resources for providers to educate patients about mpox vaccination. Learn about how to reduce stigma when educating patients about mpox.
Prepare your patients for the summer with resources for sexual health testing and mpox vaccination.
The City of Philadelphia is closed on February 20, 2023, in observance of President’s Day. Be sure to submit your mpox requests by Tuesday, February 21 to account for the holiday. Normal deliveries resume on Wednesday and Thursday of that week (week of February 20th).
As a reminder, be sure to accept all pending transfers in PhilaVax. If this is not completed, it affects the ability of your site to submit a correct, completed, and closed reconciliation and an order for more mpox vaccine.
Mpox vaccine deliveries will be paused the week of January 16 through the 20. Deliveries will resume on Wednesday, January 25. Any orders placed prior will not be fulfilled until the week of January 23. Remember to submit an order request by Monday, January 23, at 5pm for your order to be approved.
Mpox vaccine deliveries will be paused for the holiday from December 26 to 30. Remember to submit an order request by Monday, December 19, at 5pm, for your order to be approved the week of December 19. The last mpox delivery will be on Wednesday, December 22.
Deliveries will resume in the new year, the week of January 2, 2023!
Mpox Vaccination Update: Intradermal or Subcutaneous Regimen Permitted
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CDC have updated the mpox provider agreement to allow for both an intradermal and subcutaneous route of administration to be used for mpox vaccination. There is reported vaccine hesitancy due to concern over possible hyperpigmentation or scarring following intradermal administration. This change highlights that concerns about intradermal administration should not be a barrier to vaccination.
At the height of the outbreak, the intradermal route was preferred because it increased the number of available vaccine doses, while safely providing a similar immune response against mpox. However, mpox providers now have the flexibility to offer the intradermal or subcutaneous regimen based on optimal vaccine use and acceptance, feasibility of administration, and available vaccine supply. Both subcutaneous and intradermal vaccine regimens provide a safe immune response against mpox.
The World Health Organizations (WHO) announced this week that they are phasing out the use of the term “monkeypox.” The change was prompted by observation of racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings, and in some communities when the outbreak expanded earlier this year.
In line with the WHO recommendation, the Philadelphia Immunization Program and CDC is phasing out use of the term “monkeypox” and will use the new term “mpox” going forward. This change from the WHO will enhance the U.S. response to mpox by using a less stigmatizing term. We appreciate your understanding as our team works to implement this change throughout the related documents, forms and webpages.
MPOX Eligibility: Anyone At Risk Can Be Vaccinated
Monkeypox (mpox) vaccine eligibility has expanded. Anyone who feels they are at risk for acquiring monkeypox is now eligible for vaccination. They do not need to meet any further eligibility criteria. Outreach should continue to those who are most at risk, including gay, bisexual, transgender, other men who have sex with men, or non-binary persons who meet the following criteria:
Have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the past 14 days.
Have had any newly diagnosed STI in the past 12 months, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, early syphilis, or HIV.
Have recently attended or plan to attend any venue where anonymous sex or sex with multiple partners will occur (e.g. saunas, bathhouse, sex clubs, sex parties).
Have met recent partners or plan to meet new partners through social media platforms (such as Grindr, Tinder or Scruff), or at clubs, raves, sex parties, saunas).
In addition, anyone with known close contact (skin-to-skin) with someone with monkeypox in the past 14 days should be vaccinated immediately.
