San Francisco health officials report monkeypox emergency, constrained vaccine supply and Laguna Honda pause

San Francisco health officials told the Health Commission on Aug. 2 that the city is working to accelerate its response to the monkeypox outbreak while monitoring COVID trends and ongoing issues at Laguna Honda Hospital.

Grant Colfax, director of the Department of Public Health, said San Francisco has recorded 310 monkeypox cases as of the morning of Aug. 2 and remains heavily dependent on state and federal vaccine shipments. "As of earlier today, there were 310 reported cases of monkeypox in San Francisco," Colfax said, and added the department expected a next shipment of "over 10,500" to "10,700" doses but had no firm delivery date. He described demand as outstripping supply across the city's 10 vaccination sites.

Colfax also briefed commissioners on the city's COVID picture, saying recent data show signs of stabilization in case rates and that hospital capacity remains adequate. He noted community protection rests in part on boosters and recommended continued risk‑reduction measures.

Dr. Susan Phillip, San Francisco’s public health officer, said the Commission’s declaration of a local public‑health emergency — joined by Mayor London Breed — was intended to mobilize resources and simplify operations. "We were very happy to have the support of President Bernal and the entire Commission in our declaration of a public health emergency becoming the first jurisdiction in the country to do so," she said, and noted the State’s parallel action would allow expanded vaccinators, including EMS personnel, and better data‑sharing with state systems.

Phillip outlined efforts to expand vaccination access through partners including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (which administered nearly 950 doses at a single clinic in one day), Kaiser, UCSF and community organizations such as the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. She said treatment access (for tecovirimat/TPOXX) remains administratively burdensome because federal rules currently require paperwork akin to use of an investigational drug, but that regulators and the city have reduced paperwork and are training and supporting additional providers to join treatment efforts.

Public commenters urged stronger masking guidance and clearer communications about vaccine and treatment access. Several callers, representing groups including Senior and Disability Action and local LGBTQ organizations, asked the Commission to reinstate or push for indoor mask mandates and to expand paid‑leave, isolation supports and targeted outreach to communities with higher case burdens.

On long‑term care, Colfax reiterated that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the State had ordered a pause on transfers and discharges from Laguna Honda as part of the hospital’s recertification and corrective actions; the department said it is working with federal and state partners, hospital leadership and families as that review continues.

Next steps: the department will continue to push for additional vaccine shipments, expand partner clinics where possible, provide updated public access information via sf.gov/monkeypox and return with more detailed briefings on treatment expansion and vaccine distribution plans.