Monkeypox Vaccine Set To Be Rolled Out In Suffolk

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Suffolk County is set to roll out the monkeypox vaccine within the county, Executive Steve Bellone announced Friday. The county is partnering with Northwell Health on the rollout.

The county is set to host vaccine pop-up clinics for people eligible to receive the vaccine next week on Fire Island, including in Cherry Grove on Thursday and Fire Island Pines on Friday.

The first case of monkeypox in Suffolk was reported on July 1, with two additional cases reported on Thursday for a total of three. The county is notifying all close contacts of those who were infected.

"First and foremost, this is not a cause for alarm or panic," Bellone said. "Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that does not usually cause serious illness."

Monkeypox can spread from person-to-person most often through direct and prolonged contact with the infectious rash, scabs, body fluids, or respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex, according to the county. It may also spread by touching items, such as clothing or linens with infectious body fluids. Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.

Recent monkeypox cases in the region have involved a rash that is often in the genital and peri-anal regions and may include other symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, and pain when swallowing, before or after the rash appears. Most infections last two to four weeks.

"This is not COVID," said Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. "I just want to reassure everybody this is something that is containable. It's not something that spreads very easily ... It's not something you have to be concerned of if you are walking or if you're in a crowded space and you're just breathing the air. It's not like COVID. It's close, skin-to-skin intimate contact. I just want to reaffirm that this is not a threat to the public."

Bellone said the monkeypox vaccine can reduce the chance and severity of infections. The county has received 750 doses of the vaccine.

On Monday, people will be able to register for appointments to receive the vaccine on Fire Island, but they have to be eligible to do so. Statewide eligibility includes: People exposed to monkeypox in the past 14 days; people who are at high risk of recent exposure to monkeypox; and people who have had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a "social network experiencing monkeypox activity."

Bellone said he hopes the county will receive more vaccines over the next two weeks, which will allow for monkeypox vaccine pop-up clinics on mainland Suffolk.

People who are at risk of catching monkeypox and are eligible to take the vaccine "need to go get" it, said David Kilmnick, president and CEO of the LGBT Network. Kilmnick is also the chair of the Suffolk County LGBTQ+ Advisory Board.

Kilmnick drew comparisons between monkeypox and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and the impact on the gay community.

"This can bring back lots of trauma and lots of memories for the gay community in terms of being stigmatized around a particular disease," Kilmnick said of monkeypox.

Data shows that gay and bisexual men are most impacted right now by monkeypox, Kilmnick said. He proposed monkeypox-related outreach, education, and making sure the LGBTQ+ community is aware of the vaccine.

"I want to caution to not stigmatize the gay community on this," Kilmnick said. "It is our responsibility to make sure that we get the word out to the gay community about what monkeypox is, how it spreads, what we can do to prevent it, and get vaccinated."

Kilmnick said "so many lives could have been saved" if the response to HIV when it first appeared was like the current response to monkeypox.