Louisiana will get an additional 6,000 doses of the vaccine to replenish the stock used in anticipation of Southern Decadence, which starts this weekend in New Orleans.
Lafayette has it's own event planned tomorrow: Acadiana Cares has joined forces with Bolt in Downtown Lafayette to offer free vaccines on Wednesday, August 31 from 4:00-7:00 pm.
“It is critically important that our community knows that monkeypox vaccines are not only available here in Lafayette, but that they are free,” Acadiana Cares CEO Claude Martin said last week, in announcing the event. “By offering vaccines at Bolt, we’re making it easy and accessible for those who are vulnerable to take advantage of these vaccines and prevent the spread of monkeypox here in Acadiana.”
Those events are why the feds are sending more doses to Louisiana. Gov. John Bel Edwards was part of a White House virutal presser today to talk about monkeypox response.
"These additional vaccines are supporting 12 community vaccination events being held at a variety of locations across New Orleans and the surrounding area leading up to Southern Decadence. In addition to these events, CDC is supporting the Louisiana and New Orleans health departments on a large-scale vaccination event on site during the festival. The site will provide COVID-19 and MPV vaccinations as well as HIV and STI testing," a release from the White House states.
The Louisiana Department of Health is also pre-positioning courses of TPOXX in New Orleans in anticipation of any treatment needs for individuals who have been diagnosed with MPV, the release states.
CDC and the Louisiana and New Orleans health departments are also working closely together to provide and distribute educational materials about MPV and how individuals can protect themselves during the festival, the release states. And, the Administration is providing both on-site and remote support to New Orleans and Louisiana in preparation of the festival, including providing remote support for Louisiana’s wastewater surveillance program.
Other states are also getting help; Georgia and California also are getting support in anticipation of upcoming events.
The release states that the Administration is providing additional vaccines and support to states and cities holding events that convene large groups of LGBTQI+ individuals, specifically gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. The White House also announced a new pilot to surge vaccine availability and other prevention resources to communities of color in light of recent CDC data showing the disproportionate reach of the virus among Black and Latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.
Last week, the White House National Monkeypox Response team announced that as a result of recent efforts to quickly distribute vaccines, and as a result of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of intradermal administration of the JYNNEOS vaccine, the United States is approaching being able to provide two doses of vaccine to the 1.6 million individuals across the country most at risk of contracting the virus.
The White House, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been working closely with state and local governments and health leaders to prepare for upcoming events attracting large numbers of LGBTQI+ individuals, including Southern Decadence in New Orleans, Louisiana; Atlanta Black Pride in Atlanta, Georgia; and Pridefest in Oakland, California. As part of a pilot program announced earlier this month, the Biden-Harris Administration is making additional vaccines available to these jurisdictions and providing additional support on the ground, including increased access to testing and other prevention resources. Details on these plans include:
Atlanta Black Pride, Atlanta, Georgia: September 2-4, 2022
The Administration will supply Georgia with up to 5,500 doses additional of vaccine by replenishing their stock of vaccine with the number of doses administered leading up to and during Black Pride events in Atlanta. In anticipation of Black Pride, Atlanta and the surrounding counties, including Fulton County, DeKalb County, Cobb County, and Gwinnett County, have been holding routine vaccination clinics over the last week. Starting this week and continuing through the weekend, the Georgia Department of Health in conjunction with the surrounding county health departments and community partners, will continue routine vaccination in clinics and support 12 additional vaccination events across Atlanta and the broader metro area.
The Georgia Department of Public Health and Fulton County, Dekalb County, and Gwinnett County Health Departments are working closely with a variety of local organizations, including Georgia CORE and A Vision 4 Hope, to ensure widespread dissemination of educational material and information to individuals most at risk of contracting the virus and to those planning on attending Black Pride events. Throughout the MPV outbreak, Fulton County has focused on reaching communities of color given the disproportionate impact of the virus on Black individuals.
Oakland Pride and Pridefest, Oakland, California: September 4 and 11, 2022The Administration will also supply additional vaccine and support to Oakland and California as part of the Special Events vaccine pilot program.
Oakland, California will receive an additional 2,400 doses of vaccine to prepare for Pride and Pridefest events on September 4th and 11th by replenishing California’s stock of vaccine with the number of doses administered around Oakland Pride and Pridefest events. The Administration is also working closely with California to help disseminate educational information and messaging to individuals planning on attending Pride and Pridefest events to make sure they know how to protect themselves from the virus and access vaccines, tests, and treatment.
