Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, August 20, 2022

8 
Mountain View News Saturday, August 6 , 2022 
8 
Mountain View News Saturday, August 6 , 2022 
SCHIFF, L.A. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION: MORE 
MONKEYPOX VIRUS VACCINES NEEDED 

As County Caseload Explodes, Vaccine Supply Through FDA’s AlternativeDosing Regimen Still Falls Short of Projected Demand 

Los Angeles, Calif. – Today, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and 10 members of the Los Angeles 

County area Congressional Delegation sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary 
Xavier Becerra highlighting the urgent need to increase the supply of the monkeypox virus vaccine. 
This comes as the L.A. County Department of Public Health reported more than 100 new cases over 
the weekend and that its vaccine supply is expected to run out in the next two weeks, forcing them to 
pause pre-registration for appointments. 

“We are encouraged by the Biden administration’s recent actions declaring monkeypox a public 
health emergency and issuing an emergency use authorization to help expand JYNNEOS vaccine 
supply. While these are critical steps in the public health response to MPV, we strongly urge the Department 
of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the White House, to take further steps 
to procure and distribute additional JYNNEOS vaccine doses to ensure areas that have been hardest 
hit, including Los Angeles, have adequate vaccine supply,” the members wrote in the letter. 

Congressman Schiff first wrote to Secretary Becerra on July 20 urging the federal government to 
bolster its monkeypox virus (MPV) response, including by increasing the manufacturing and distribution 
of vaccines, supporting more health care provider and community outreach, and developing 
a long-term strategy to ensure access to testing, vaccination, treatment, and provider education for 
years to come. 

On August 9, after public health experts and elected officials like Congressman Schiff raised the 
alarm about the United States’ limited supply of MPV vaccine doses, the FDA announced it had 
granted Emergency Use Authorization for the JYNNEOS vaccine to be administered intradermally, 
increasing the number of doses available through the existing supply. However, clinical data available 
about the alternative dosing regimen is limited to a single 2015 study, and will require urgent and 
comprehensive outreach to health care providers on how to use the more specialized administration 
method. 

Furthermore, while the existing vaccine supply and alternative dosing regimen could fully vaccinate 1 
million people, the CDC estimates about 1.7 million people are currently at the highest risk for MPV 
infection – and as cases continue to climb and the virus spreads beyond the communities already impacted, 
the highest-risk population will inevitably grow. In Los Angeles County, more than 100 new 
cases were reported just last weekend, and the Department of Public Health has nearly exhausted its 
current vaccine dosages. Therefore, the members are encouraging the federal government to look beyond 
the emergency use authorization and take additional steps to increase its overall vaccine supply. 

“As of August 12, 2022, Los Angeles County – the most populous county in the United States with 
over 10 million residents – has received only 43,290 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine. Supply is not 
meeting demand, and as the virus continues to spread demand will inevitably increase. While we are 
encouraged by the potential to expand the number of available doses through implementation of intradermal 
administration, this approach alone will not suffice,” the members added. 

The August 17 letter is cosigned by Representatives Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Lucille Roybal-
Allard (D-Downey), Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk), Linda Sánchez (D-Whittier), Judy Chu (D-
Monterey Park), Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Tony Cárdenas (D-Los Angeles), Mark Takano (D-
Riverside), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-San Pedro), and Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles). 


LA COUNTY HEALTH UPDATE 

As COVID-19 Numbers Continue to Improve, Residents Can 
Take Steps to Protect the Most Vulnerable 

4,274 New Positive Cases and 13 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles 
County 

As Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline, 
residents can help protect those who are the most vulnerable to the virus. Residents can help 
reduce the high rate of transmission by being fully vaccinated, getting tested when exposed 
and before gatherings, masking indoors, and staying home while sick or recovering from 
COVID-19. 

The Omicron variant continues to account for 100% of sequenced specimens and the BA.5 
subvariant of Omicron remains the most predominant subvariant. In the week ending July 
30, 88% of all sequenced specimens in LA County were BA.5. The Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, across the country, as of the week ending August 
13, the BA.5 subvariant accounted for 89% of specimens. 

The relative proportions of other key sublineages Public Health is tracking changed only 
slightly, including BA.2.12.1 which has declined to 4%, and BA 4.6 which remains at just 
over 1.5%. To date, only three specimens of BA.2.75 have been detected, indicating no increased 
circulation of this sublineage here. This is welcome news since it indicates that the 
new strains currently circulating remain at a low level and do not appear poised to outcompete 
BA.5 in the very near future. 

The 7-day average case count today is 3,577 cases, a 2% drop from 3,660 cases a week prior. 
The 7-day average test positivity rate over the past week also declined slightly to 10.1%, from 
10.7% one week ago. 

Over the last seven days, the average number of COVID-positive patients per day in LA 
County hospitals was 1,009, a decline of 10% from one week ago when the 7-day average 
number of COVID-positive patients per day was 1,118. The CDC reported LA County’s hospital 
admission rate at 8.9 weekly hospital admissions per 100,000 people, a decrease from 
the rate of 9.9 reported a week ago.
Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, dropped slightly to an average 
of 13 deaths reported each day this past week, compared to an average of 14 daily reported 
deaths one week ago. 

Getting vaccinated continues to provide protection from severe illness and hospitalization, 
especially for the most vulnerable residents living in communities with high rates of poverty. 
For the 30-day period ending August 4, unvaccinated residents living in the highest poverty 
areas were 11 times more likely to be hospitalized than their vaccinated counterparts. And 
while 77% of LA County residents age 5 and older are fully vaccinated, only 35% of children 
5-11 years old are fully vaccinated, and less than 7% of children under 5 have received at 
least one dose. 

There are thousands of vaccination locations across the county. Residents can visit the Public 
Health website at VaccinateLACounty.com or VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) to find 
locations, and schedules for clinics offering COVID-19 vaccines. 

For those who have any questions about vaccine safety and effectiveness, please reach out to 
your healthcare provider or speak with a Public Health staff member at the COVID-19 call 
center, 1-833-540-0473 between the hours of 8:00 am and 8:30 pm, seven days a week. 

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who 
have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of 
Public Health. “While lower case and hospitalizations are welcomed, the continued high 
rate of transmission places many individuals at elevated risk of getting infected, and, for 
some, there can be serious consequences to a COVID infection. People facing higher risk 
from COVID include many of our family and friends, along with community residents we 
encounter every day. Older people, people with underlying health conditions, those who are 
immunocompromised and those who are unvaccinated are all at elevated risk of experiencing 
a bad outcome if they get infected. There are also many who face higher risk because 
their job brings them close to a large number of people. These are often the people we rely 
on every day to provide food and medicines, to take care of us when we are sick, to drive 
our buses and trains, to teach and care for our children, and to provide us with essential 
goods and services. Others face higher risk because they live in very dense communities 
and overcrowded housing, where viral spread is easier. Living through times of high viral 
transmission, is like getting through a bad storm. While it is very helpful if each of us is able 
to have good rain gear, when the storm is of long duration, we often need additional help 
from others. Having everyone masking when indoors, testing when exposed or sick, staying 
home when ill, and being up-to-date on their vaccines, provides additional protections that 
can make a difference for those must vulnerable.” 

Friday, Public Health reported 13 additional deaths and 4,274 new positive cases today. Of 
the 13 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30 to 49, three people 
were between the ages of 50-64, two people were between the ages of 65-79, and seven people 
were aged 80 years or older. Of the 13 newly reported deaths, 11 had underlying health conditions. 
To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 33,003. 

Public Health has reported a total of 3,375,907 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas 
of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 10.1%. 

There are 940 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for 
more than 12,422,000 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive. 

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department 
of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.
lacounty.gov. 

ALTHOUGH MONKEYPOX VACCINE SUPPLY REMAINS LOW, 

PUBLIC HEALTH TO BEGIN ADMINISTERING SECOND DOSES 

On August 9, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued 

an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to allow the JYNNEOS vaccine to be giv


en between layers of the skin (intradermally) for people 18 years of age and older 

at high risk for monkeypox infection. The recent EUA also allows the vaccine to be 

given beneath the skin (subcutaneously) for people younger than 18 years of age at 

high risk for monkeypox infection.

This change makes it possible for the number of monkeypox vaccine doses 

in the country to increase five-fold, as one vial of vaccine can now potentially yield 

five doses instead of just one dose. Based on the earlier federal allocation plan, LA 

County expected to receive 14,000 vials this week, which would have yielded an 

estimated 70,000 monkeypox vaccine doses for eligible LA County residents. 

However, the federal government clarified earlier this week that LA County will 

receive 5,600 vials (totaling 28,000 doses), not 14,000 vials. Public Health has re


ceived assurances from the federal leadership that additional doses will be avail


able in the coming weeks.

With the arrival of 28,000 doses later today, LA County will open up eli


gibility to about 8,000 individuals eligible for their second doses. Residents who 

received their first dose more than 28 days ago can receive their second dose the 

following ways:

• Residents who received their first dose through their healthcare provider 
over 28 days ago should contact their provider to schedule an appointment.
• Residents who registered through the Public Health registration system 
and were vaccinated at a Public Health location will receive a second text message 
when their second dose is due with instructions on where to receive their 
second dose. 
There will be an additional 19,000 doses distributed to community providers and 

public vaccine sites providing first doses to those eligible; 1,000 doses are reserved 

for close contacts, outbreak response, and special populations.

Eligible residents needing their first dose can now register by visiting ph.lacounty.

gov/monkeypoxsignup.

All first and second doses will be administered intradermally, unless con


traindicated. The FDA has advised that those under 18 years of age and adults who 

have a history of developing keloid scars should get the vaccine beneath the skin 

(subcutaneously), not between the layers of the skin (intradermally).

Those without access to the internet or needing help with registration, can 
call the Public Health Call Center at for more information on monkeypox, including 
general information, testing, treatment, and vaccines at (833)540-0473. The 
Public Health Call Center is open 7 days a week 8am – 8:30pm. 

For more information, please visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/monkeypox/. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com