Critical Elements of an Mpox Vaccination Model at the Largest Public Health Hospital System in the United States

Anthony J Lo Piccolo; Justin Chan; Gabriel M Cohen; Ofole Mgbako; Robert A Pitts; Radu Postelnicu; Andrew Wallach; Vikramjit Mukherjee

doi:10.3390/vaccines11071138

Critical Elements of an Mpox Vaccination Model at the Largest Public Health Hospital System in the United States

Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Jun 23;11(7):1138. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11071138.

Authors

Anthony J Lo Piccolo^{1

2}, Justin Chan^{2

3}, Gabriel M Cohen^{2

3}, Ofole Mgbako^{2

3

4}, Robert A Pitts^{2

3}, Radu Postelnicu^{2

3}, Andrew Wallach^{2

3}, Vikramjit Mukherjee^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
² NYC Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H)/Bellevue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
³ Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
⁴ Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.

Abstract

In the spring of 2022, mpox spread to non-endemic countries, including the United States. In New York City (NYC), vaccine demand grew as quickly as case counts. With the leadership of the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC) at NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue (NYC H+H)-part of the largest public hospital system in the United States-an innovative vaccination model was established that overcame challenges involving health inequities, inadequate access, and lack of vaccine uptake, to successfully administer JYNNEOS vaccines to over 12,000 patients. Transmission has slowed since its peak in August 2022, which has been attributed to successful vaccination campaigns, infection-induced immunity, and behavioral changes among those at highest risk; however, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assessment released on 4 April 2023 suggests jurisdictions with low vaccination levels (<35%) remain at risk for an mpox resurgence. Here, we summarize the critical aspects of our mpox vaccination model in NYC, which include integration into routine clinical care, prioritization of health equity, and reutilization of COVID-19 vaccination systems, to provide valuable insights for healthcare institutions as we move into the next stage of this ongoing outbreak.

Keywords: JYNNEOS; community outreach; emergency preparedness; mpox; mpox vaccine; public health emergency; special pathogen preparedness; vaccine equity; vaccine rollout; vaccine uptake.

Grants and funding

Vikramjit Mukherjee, Justin Chan, Radu Postelnicu, and Anthony Lo Piccolo are members of Region 2’s RESPTC at NYC H+H/Bellevue, which receives funding from the United States Health and Human Service’s (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) grant titled Regional Ebola and Other Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (Funding Opportunity Number EP-U3R-22-002).