New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald signed an order Sept. 5 allowing pharmacists across the Empire State to administer the mpox vaccine without requiring a prescription.
The move makes it easier for New Yorkers to get their first or second dose of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine following the World Health Organization’s declaration of a global emergency due to an outbreak of an aggressive strain of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and several other African countries. The aggressive strain, Clade I, has not yet been spotted in the United States. Two cases have been confirmed outside of Africa — in Sweden and Thailand — and in both cases those individuals had spent time in Africa.
New York City reported 43 mpox cases in May, 36 in June, and 33 in July. It is not yet clear how many cases the city saw in August because the cases are not updated by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene until the second Thursday of the month.
“My standing order allows individuals to get their JYNNEOS vaccine from a pharmacist without first seeking a physician — greatly increasing access to this important layer of protection as we remain vigilant and continue to monitor mpox in the US and abroad,” Dr. James McDonald, the state health commissioner, said in a written statement. “Pharmacists are an important component of our overall health care system and remain a center point of accessible care in our communities.”
The commissioner’s order represents the second of two related moves by the state to boost access to the vaccine. In August, the commissioner added the Jynneos vaccine to a list of vaccines that would be allowed to be administered by a pharmacist, but that still required a patient-specific prescription from a medical provider, according to the state. However, the latest order serves as a blanket prescription, giving patients the ability to go straight to a pharmacist to get the vaccine without needing to visit a doctor.
The African-based outbreak comes two years after mpox swept through New York City — which saw thousands of cases and, at one point, up to 70 per day — and other parts of the country.
New York City health officials have long stressed the importance of getting both doses of the Jynneos vaccine regimen to prevent mpox. Those who have had mpox do not need to get vaccinated.
According to WHO, there have been more than 24,000 cases of the aggressive mpox strain this year.
The Biden administration is preparing for the possibility of the aggressive strain’s arrival in the United States, according to NBC News. The federal government has been analyzing wastewater, engaging with medical experts, and has established a system in which doctors can process their mpox test results through a national laboratory to test for Clade I, which is the more aggressive strain, and II, which is the one that has circulated in the US since 2022.
