Federal officials expect monkeypox vaccine shortage to last months

The Biden administration is dispensing more than a million Jynneos monkeypox vaccines in the coming weeks, but the next shipment isn't planned until October at the earliest, leaving the U.S. in a waiting room for three months, according to The Washington Post

About 1.6 million gay and bisexual American men are considered at high risk, but only 340,000 Jynneos doses have been distributed to states, according to the Post. The nation's most recent order included 786,000 more doses, which came after the U.S. became the country with the most monkeypox cases. 

The FDA rushed the inspection process of a Bavarian Nordic facility in Denmark, which is expected to boost production capacity. The company is also considering operating 24/7 because it's the only manufacturer with an approved monkeypox vaccine. 

Multiple states have said they don't have enough vaccines, and some health departments are prioritizing giving one shot of the two-shot series to as many people as they can instead of rationing supplies for full monkeypox vaccinations — despite the FDA advising against the strategy.

The next shipment, totaling 500,000 doses, is planned for the end of October, according to the Post.

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