Long Beach Health Briefs: City Launches Monkeypox (MPX) Data Dashboard and Begins Offering Bivalent COVID-19 Boosters

City Launches Monkeypox (MPX) Data Dashboard on City’s MPX Website

The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services or Health Department has launched a new monkeypox (MPX) dashboard to provide the public with information on MPX cases and vaccinations in the city. The new MPX dashboard, available as a button feature on the Health Department’s MPX website, will offer a user-friendly experience and real-time access to increased data transparency.

Long Beach Begins Offering Bivalent COVID-19 Boosters

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services or Health Department is offering the bivalent Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 boosters. The bivalent boosters, also known as “updated boosters,” will provide increased protection against the omicron variant that is currently circulating. The Food and Drug Administration or FDA amended the emergency use authorization for both Pfizer and Moderna to include the bivalent boosters on Aug. 31, followed by approvals from both the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or ACIP and Centers for Disease Control or CDC on Sept. 1 and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup on Sept. 3.

The following bivalent COVID-19 boosters are being offered at all city-run COVID-19 vaccine clinics:

• The Moderna bivalent booster is authorized for use in people ages 18 and older at least two months after they completed their primary series or received their most recent booster, regardless of the total number of booster doses they have already received.
• The Pfizer bivalent booster is authorized for use in people ages 12 and older at least two months after they completed their primary series or received their most recent booster, regardless of the total number of booster doses they have already received.

Appointments will be made available on MyTurn beginning Sept. 21.