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US Admin. announces first phase of national monkeypox vaccine strategy

WASHINGTON, June 29 (KUNA) -- The US Administration announced Tuesday evening the first phase of its national monkeypox vaccine strategy, "a critical part of its monkeypox outbreak response." The White House said in a fact sheet that this phase of the strategy aims to "mitigate the spread of the disease." "With today's national monkeypox vaccine strategy, the United States is significantly expanding deployment of vaccines, allocating 296,000 doses over the coming weeks, 56,000 of which will be allocated immediately," the White House indicated.
It added that "over the coming months a combined 1.6 million additional doses will become available." It stressed that the virus is "spreading in the United States and globally, and requires a comprehensive response from federal, state, local and international governments and communities." It noted that since the first case was confirmed in the US in May, President Joe Biden has taken "critical actions to make vaccines, testing, and treatments available to those who need them as part of its whole-of-government monkeypox outbreak response." There are about 300 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US. (end) si.mt