TITLE
Recommendation to direct City Manager to submit a request to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to study, once sufficient volume of vaccines becomes available, the inclusion of, working as a homeless services outreach worker or working in a congregate shelter as eligibility criteria for the Monkeypox vaccine.
DISCUSSION
As of August 11th, the Long Beach Health Department has confirmed 36 cases of Monkeypox among Long Beach residents.1 Countywide, the number of confirmed cases has more than doubled over the past week.2 In order to slow the spread of the virus, Los Angeles County has embarked on an ambitious vaccination program, administering nearly 23,000 doses of the Monkeypox vaccine as of August 5th. Currently, those eligible
to receive a vaccine include the following:
• People who were exposed to someone with confirmed monkeypox and do not have
symptoms.
• People who attended an event/venue where there was high risk of exposure to
someone with confirmed monkeypox.
• Gay or bisexual men and transgender persons who are on HIV pre-exposure
prophylaxis (PrEP).
• Gay or bisexual men and transgender people who attended saunas, bathhouses,
sex clubs, circuit parties or sex parties where they had anonymous sex or sex with
multiple partners.
1 “Long Beach reports 36 confirmed or probable cases of monkeypox.” Signal Tribune. Aug. 11, 2022.
https://sigtrib.com/long-beach-reports-36-confirmed-or-probable-cases-of-monkeypox/
2 “LA County Monkeypox Daily Case Update.” LA County Department of Public Health. Aug. 11, 2022.
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/monkeypox/data/index.htm
• Gay or bisexual men and transgender people with a diagnosis of gonorrhea or
early syphilis within the past 12 months.
• Gay or bisexual men and transgender people 18 years of age and older who had
multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days including engaging in
survival and/or transactional sex (e.g., sex in exchange for shelter, food and other
goods and needs).
• Residents who are immunocompromised, including those with advanced or
uncontrolled HIV, who may be at high risk for severe disease.3
While the data clearly shows that gay and bisexual men are the populations most at risk
from this virus and should be prioritized in vaccine receipt, once more vaccines become
available, the CDC recommends that eligibility be extended to “Certain healthcare and
public health response team members designated by public health authorities to be
vaccinated for preparedness purposes”.4 Outreach workers and shelter workers clearly
fall under this category.
Although the men who have sex with men account for the vast majority of Monkeypox
cases, Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease.5 The virus is transmitted through
close contact with infectious rashes, scabs, and bodily fluids, debris of which can remain
infections on surfaces such as bedsheets or clothing for up to 15 days.6 This can cause
exposures and transmission without any sexual contact. As a preventative measure, and
in accordance with CDC guidance, Long Beach should do whatever it can to protect its
public health workers who interact with high-risk populations, particularly those who work
in homeless services.
3 “Information on Monkeypox.” Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. Aug. 2, 2022.
https://longbeach.gov/health/diseases-and-condition/information-on/monkeypox/
4 “Monkeypox and Smallpox Vaccine Guidance.” Center for Disease Control. June 2, 2022.
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/clinicians/smallpox-vaccine.html
5 “Safer Sex, Social Gatherings, and Monkeypox.” Center for Disease Control. Aug. 5, 2022.
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/sexualhealth/index.html
6 “Monkeypox and People Experiencing Homelessness.” National Healthcare for the Homeless Council.
Aug. 5, 2022. https://nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NHCHC-Monkeypox-fact-sheet.pdf
Urgency Statement
Due to the rapidly evolving nature of disease transmission and public health officials’ understanding thereof, urgency is requested for this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
No Financial Management review was able to be conducted due to the urgency and time sensitivity of this item.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
REX RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR
NINTH DISTRICT
ROBERTO URANGA, COUNCILMEMBER
SEVENTH DISTRICT
MARY ZENDEJAS, COUNCILWOMAN
FIRST DISTRICT