Amid mpox global health emergency, New York pharmacists get OK to vaccinate adults 

Certified pharmacists on Long Island and across New York can administer mpox vaccine to adults — a measure to help curb the virus’ spread after the World Health Organization called the rise in cases in several African countries a "public health emergency of international concern."

The state health and education departments authorized pharmacists to deliver the two-dose Jynneos vaccine to people 18 and older as a more transmissible, more virulent version of the virus takes hold in more African countries, officials said Tuesday.

“The availability of the mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS, in pharmacies across New York State means more people will be able to access protection as we remain vigilant in light of the more transmissible variant of mpox circulating in Africa,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement.

State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said in the same statement: “This action not only increases our public health response, but it also highlights the essential role that pharmacists play in protecting our residents' health and well-being." 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo said it had upward of 27,000 suspected cases of mpox since 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The version that is currently spreading there and in several other countries such as Burundi and Rwanda is more likely to lead to people getting more severe illness and even dying, the CDC said.

The state Health Department said the variant — called clade I — has yet to spread in the United States.

A 2022 global outbreak of mpox led to more than 30,000 cases of the less severe version of the virus in the United States, the CDC said.

Mpox, which was once called monkeypox, can be spread through kissing and other forms of close contact, the health department said on its website. Though not typically deadly, the virus can lead to aching sores and serious illness for people who are immunocompromised.

People recommended to get the mpox vaccination include gay men and people with multiple sex partners, health officials said. 

However, many people who are advised to get the vaccine have yet to do so. About 45% of those recommended to get it have done so in New York City, state health officials said, citing the CDC.

The Nassau County website said mpox vaccinations can be found at Nassau University Medical Center/NuHealth. Appointments to get the vaccination administered at home can be made with Town of North Hempstead Emergency Medical Services, the website read.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services said it offers mpox vaccinations to insured and uninsured people at their vaccination sites with an appointment. Upcoming clinics include one at the West Babylon Public Library on Tuesday and another one at Riverhead Free Library on Wednesday, officials say.

September dates should be posted soon, the health department said.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.