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The White House declared monkeypox a public health emergency on Thursday, and multiple news outlets said the federal government is looking to speed up vaccine distribution after criticism over its slow vaccination efforts.
Health workers prepare to administer the monkeypox vaccine.
important facts
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will also share plans to help jurisdictions step up vaccine distribution, making the announcement at a press conference on Thursday. washington post citing government officials.
The decision comes after several cities and states, including New York and California, moved to designate the virus on their own. This disproportionately affects men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple partners. Streamline the government response.
Biden this week named a new team to lead the White House’s monkeypox response. Among them is Robert Fenton of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who will serve as monkeypox response coordinator.
Politico first reported on Thursday that HHS had circulated a memo declaring monkeypox an emergency.
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6,617. As of Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases of monkeypox and orthopoxvirus (the class of virus to which monkeypox belongs) has been reported across the United States, according to the CDC. All states except Montana and Wyoming have confirmed cases.
main background
The World Health Organization declared monkeypox (a virus that can cause painful lesions, chills, fever, headache and other symptoms) a public health emergency of international concern two weeks ago. . Monkeypox is endemic to parts of Africa, where there have been several deaths from the virus this year, but outbreaks there typically receive little international attention. As of July 27, the White House has shipped 336,000 doses of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine. It is the only vaccine approved by U.S. regulators for monkeypox. . The risk of contracting the virus, according to multiple outlets. Major U.S. cities, including New York City and San Francisco, are rushing to ensure that at-risk populations have enough to vaccinate, potentially allowing more people to get the first shot. delaying the second dose of a two-dose regimen to allow for of the vaccine.
Contra
The federal government has faced criticism in recent weeks for its approach to ordering and distributing monkeypox vaccine. The US relies on a small Danish biotech company called Bavarian Nordic for the Jynneos shot, which invested more than $1 billion to help develop it.of new york times In early May, when the virus began to spread, HHS reported that it took too long to ask that vaccines that the US had already purchased be bottled for distribution. I order for months. At the same time, unpredictable spikes in monkeypox cases led HHS to allow 215,000 doses of her vaccine held by Bavarian Nordic to be delivered to European countries instead of being stored for the United States. Times report. In previous research, Times found that the US national stockpile also had 20 million doses of Jynneos, but most of those doses could not be replenished because they had expired.
Things to watch out for
In total, the US has ordered 6.9 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine, but many of them are set not to arrive until next year. That’s because the administration has requested that about 500,000 doses be bottled through June after several other countries battling rising cases have already sent in orders. times.
References
Biden Officials Plan to Declare Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency (Washington Post)
Biden administration plans to use public health emergency officials to fight monkeypox (Politico)
US could have received more monkeypox vaccines this year (New York Times)
Monkeypox Vaccine: How many shipped and where US is facing supply shortages (Forbes)
