DALLAS — Dallas County has used up all of the roughly 100 doses of monkeypox vaccine it had and, so far, hasn’t received additional doses.
It expected at the beginning of this week, according to Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Dr. Philip Huang.
“The reality is we don’t have vaccine available right now,” Huang said. “We’re trying to work with the state and federal partners to get as much as we can.”
Texas health officials said Wednesday there are 20,000 doses available to the state. The Department of State Health Services plans to order all available doses and then distribute within the state to fill requests as cases rise.
The 100 doses are a small amount relative to the 52 cases already confirmed in Dallas County as of Wednesday. The county and state are limiting the vaccine to people with known contact to a confirmed case.
Luke, a bartender in Dallas, is one of those confirmed cases.
“It's the worst sick I've ever been,” he said. “It literally feels like someone is taking a potato peeler to your skin.”
He’s slowly recovered but is still quarantining until his skin fully heals. He received a vaccine dose after he tested positive but worries about others.
“Why do you want people to get sick first and then treat it,” he said.
Michael Harris is another Dallas bartender who says he knows of different people who have contracted monkeypox, and he was also at a festival many of the cases have been linked back to.
He’s been frustrated, though, at the lack of ability to get a vaccine.
“I would hate to you know have it and pass it along to somebody else,” he said. “I know I’m not the only one who feels this way but I’m the only one that’s willing to speak up about it.”
Statewide, cases have risen quickly, from 12 to 110 in three weeks. Across the country, there are more than 2,000 reported cases, according to CDC data.
Harris knows people who flew to states with wider eligibility to get the vaccine.
“I feel like everybody should be taking this a little bit more seriously than they are,” Harris said. “I have friends in Austin, Houston, San Antonio that are having the same problem.”
The virus can spread just by touching making nearly anyone vulnerable. So far, most cases in North Texas have been linked back to two different events as opposed to wider community spread.
“We’re definitely seeing obviously an increase in the number of cases,” Huang said.
“Be careful. Be mindful,” Luke said. “This isn't a gay thing. This isn't a straight thing. It's going to affect everyone if you're not careful.”