What you should know
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is scheduled to call on the Biden administration Wednesday afternoon to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase access to monkeypox vaccines.
- Currently, there are more than 5,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States, and New York State has become the center of the outbreak, with nearly 1 in 4 cases of monkeypox in the US found in the United States. New York State.
- New York state has recently been allocated just 170,000 doses of vaccine as cases continue to skyrocket.
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NEW YORK — Just two days after New York City declared a local state of emergency in response to the growing monkeypox outbreak, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is scheduled to ask the Biden administration to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase access to monkeypox vaccines.
There are currently more than 5,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States, and New York State has become the center of the outbreak, with nearly 1 in 4 cases of monkeypox in the US located in the state of New York.
Cases are expected to rise, but the US currently does not have enough vaccine to protect everyone at risk, says Gillibrand. New York state has recently been allocated just 170,000 doses of vaccine as cases continue to skyrocket.
According to the legislator, it is time to act and guarantee doses in areas such as New York.
The Defense Production Act (DPA) provides powers that are being applied to support ramp-up and expansion efforts. It is the main source the president can use to expedite and expand critical private sector supplies and services that are needed, as described by FEMA. Recently, President Joe Biden has invoked this law to increase the supply of baby formula after a severe shortage in the country. The announcement means the federal government will prioritize key ingredients for formula production and require suppliers to provide necessary resources to formula makers.
STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NYC DUE TO MONKEYPOX
New York City declared a local state of emergency Monday in response to the growing monkeypox outbreak, and Mayor Eric Adams signed the latest in a series of executive orders as efforts to stem the tide intensify.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. As of Monday, New York City has reported 1,472 cases of monkeypox, a figure believed to undercount all Big Apple cases and to represent 28% of the 5,189 national cases likely also unreported by the CDC. .
“We continue to see the numbers rise. This order will bolster our existing efforts to educate, vaccinate, test and treat as many New Yorkers as possible and ensure a whole-of-government response to this outbreak,” Adams, a Democrat, said in part. “Together with federal, state and local officials, we will continue to respond with the urgency required to keep people safe, and this order is another tool to help us do that.”
The Health Department also launched a new monkeypox data page, tracking daily cases since the outbreak began in New York City in June and breaking down demographics by county, age, gender and other factors. For those wondering, Manhattan has the most cases of all boroughs (562), more than a third of the known total citywide, and only three cases identify as female. People aged 30 to 39 represent more than a third of the known total, although there seems to be more parity from a racial/ethnic perspective: just over a quarter are white, while a quarter are Latino and a fifth are black.
A citywide public health emergency for the still-spreading disease went into effect Saturday, a day after Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration issued state and public health emergency orders for monkeypox.
HOW TO PREVENT MONKEYPOX
The New York State Department of Health has listed steps people should take to help prevent the spread of monkeypox:
- Ask your sexual partners if they have a rash or other symptoms consistent with monkeypox.
- Avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a rash or other symptoms related to monkeypox.
- Contact a health care provider after exposure or symptoms, and check with your local county health department about vaccine eligibility.
- New Yorkers receiving the JYNNEOS vaccine should receive both doses, given four weeks apart, and remain vigilant until fully vaccinated, two weeks after the second dose.
- If you or your health care provider suspect you may have monkeypox, isolate yourself at home. If you can, stay in a separate area from other family members and pets.
- Follow reputable sources of health information, including NYSDOH, CDC, and your local county health department.
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