Mayor Eric Adams pressed President Biden Monday to get more monkeypox vaccinations to New York City — and in the meanwhile allow officials to delay administering second doses as a way to expand overall inoculations.
Hizzoner told the White House in the letter that the Big Apple “urgently” needs a larger percentage of the federal government’s minuscule shipments of vaccine, which not only helps stop the spread but can help allay some of the painful symptoms experienced by those infected.
“While we appreciate the approximately 7,000 vaccine doses that have been sent to New York City thus far, and the approximately 14,500 doses we expect to receive by the end of the week, we urgently need need far more to slow the spread and protect at risk populations,” Adams wrote.
“Within less than 10 minutes of releasing new appointments for our vaccine clinics last week, all appointments were taken,” he added.
The letter was sent just hours after the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced it would post new appointments for vaccination following the arrival of the the latest resupply, the third. So far, New York City — population 8.8 million — has received just 21,000 doses in total.
Adams’ letter and word of the federal resupply came as the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported the total number of monkeypox cases in the five boroughs hit 223 on Monday — up from 160 positives on Friday and double the 111 reported on July 5.
Pressure is mounting on local and federal authorities to overhaul their response to the monkeypox outbreak as cases continue to surge amid inoculation shortages, a problem-plagued computer signup system for shot appointments and widespread complaints about accessing testing and anti-viral medications to manage infections.
Much of the fury erupted after public health and LGBT activists in New York City revealed the US Food and Drug Administration is blocking the importation of one million doses of the monkeypox vaccine in Europe that taxpayers spent $2 billion developing and manufacturing because it failed to inspect the facility recently.
The agency has also refused to accept inspections done by the European Union, which cleared the facility, effectively leaving the shots rotting in Denmark as the outbreak worsens in New York and across the country.
On Monday, former Mayor Bill de Blasio joined the chorus calling for the FDA to accept the EU’s approvals of the factory to speed the delivery of the doses to New York.
De Blasio joins at least two other top contenders to represent the newly crafted 10th Congressional District — which stretches across Lower Manhattan and much of brownstone Brooklyn, including the West Village, the historic heart of the city’s gay community — in demanding that the FDA to accept the European certifications.
“There’s over a million vaccine doses available in Denmark right now, if New York City could get our fair share of them, it would make a world of difference in fighting this crisis,” the congressional hopeful said.
He made the remarks during a press conference in which he laced into the Biden administration’s handling as slow and insufficient for the scale of the public health emergency.
“I think it’s lacking, it’s time for more,” de Blasio said during a press conference outside of City Hall. “The fact is that people are suffering right now from this disease, they’re not getting answers and there’s a tremendous amount of fear.”
De Blasio said at the press conference that he had discussed the monkeypox outbreak at least twice with Adams, including in a conversation that took place Monday, in which he said he encouraged his successor to push on the feds to approve focusing the available doses on providing first jabs.
After word of Adams’ letter broke, the ex-mayor tweeted: “Great quick action by the mayor!”
