Monkeypox cases are down in Baltimore as vaccine eligibility expands

Monkeypox cases are down in Baltimore since eligibility for the vaccine has expanded, city Health Commissioner Letitia Dzirasa said Tuesday while at the site of a new clinic where more doses will become available. As many have looked for a place to get vaccinated against the disease, which is similar to smallpox, more appointments will be offered to residents at Nomi Health, located at 419 W. Baltimore St. So far, 1,230 city residents have received at least the first of a two-dose vaccine as of Oct. 12, Dzirasa said. “The [Maryland] health department began vaccinating high-risk individuals since July, while we have been vaccinating the close contacts of cases since late June,” Dzirasa said. “Over the past several weeks, the health department has also distributed 170 vials of [monkeypox] vaccine to clinical partners to administer to their patients who meet eligibility criteria.”