On Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) tweeted: “I am declaring a state disaster emergency to… [+] strengthen our ongoing efforts to deal with the monkeypox outbreak. This executive order allows us to respond more quickly and allows health care professionals to take additional steps that will help vaccinate more New Yorkers.” (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
The monkeypox outbreak is officially a disaster in New York State. The question is when this new mood in New York will translate into moods in other states. Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) issued an executive order declaring the monkeypox outbreak a disaster in New York State, tweeting the following:
This was six days after the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared PHEIC out of the ongoing monkeypox outbreak on July 23, with PHEIC as a public health emergency of international concern. It was also a day after the New York State Health Commissioner declared it an imminent public health threat on July 28. And so, as imminent it has become evident and present.
This was by no means the first disaster emergency to be declared in New York State in recent years. There has also been something called the Covid-19 pandemic that led to such a declaration in 2020 and has led to the renewal of such declarations since then until this year. If you still don’t know what Covid-19 is, it’s what many people around you may be trying to tell you is “over” when it really isn’t.
And now “what is monkeypox virus” has joined “what is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)” as suitable answers to “Things that have not been well monitored in USA” on Jeopardy! As of July 29, the United States had a total of 5,169 confirmed cases of smallpox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Confirmed cases have appeared in all but three states (Montana, Vermont, Wyoming) in the US. The hardest-hit state, however, has been the Empire State with 1,345 cases, according to the CDC, and 1,383, according to the Executive Order, as of Friday. . In fact, the Executive Order states that “New York is now experiencing one of the highest transmission rates in the country.” So it’s no surprise that the state has gone monkey pox and declared an emergency.
This disaster emergency declaration will be in effect for all of New York State until August 28th. This statement usually has two general objectives. The first is to raise awareness about the problem. By now, chances are you’ve heard about the monkey pox outbreak, unless you’ve been doing nothing but watching a game of squid on Netflix for the past few months. And, yes, the monkeypox virus is not the same as SARS-CoV-2. It will not require the same level of precautions as the mass wearing of face masks that public health authorities have tried to implement for the Covid-19 pandemic with an emphasis on the word “proven”.
The problem, however, is that many people still seem to be proceeding as if things are a total green light, not taking sufficient actions and precautions against the monkeypox virus that public health experts have called for. In fact, there has been a lot, surprise, surprise, and misinformation circulating about the monkeypox virus, such as claims that it is simply a sexually transmitted infection when it can be spread by any type of prolonged close contact. While a disaster declaration doesn’t mean you should start flapping your arms and running in panicked circles while yelling “disaster, disaster” and hoarding toilet paper, it does mean that you should take the necessary precautions. This includes immediately isolating anyone who may have any symptoms of smallpox and getting that person actual and appropriate medical attention. It also means avoiding close contact with anyone who may be infected or anything an infected person has touched and getting vaccinated against monkeypox if you are more likely to be exposed to the virus. Remember, unless you’re a ficus plant masquerading as a human, you can get the monkeypox virus if you’re exposed.
The second overall goal of the disaster declaration is to expand the authority of various state agencies and their staff to marshal resources to respond to the outbreak. Don’t misconstrue this as the establishment of some kind of martial law or perhaps “Marshall Law,” in the words of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). It’s also no sign that the so-called Deep State wants your toilet paper. Instead, the statement does some practical things, such as expanding the ability of various health officials to administer monkeypox vaccines when deemed necessary under certain conditions.
New York may have been the first US state to declare the monkeypox outbreak a disaster emergency. But he might not end up being the only one who does. The state of California has had the second most confirmed cases of smallpox with 799 and is reportedly considering a similar declaration. Illinois came in third with 419, followed by Florida with 373. The monkeypox virus has spread faster and farther than it has since it was first identified in 1958. The Empire State of Mind can be that this is a disaster. But while Alicia Keys and Jay-Z may have sung, “There’s nothing you can’t do,” New York will need other states and the federal government to step up to help control the outbreak as well. After all, the monkeypox virus doesn’t really discriminate and doesn’t respect state boundaries when it comes to infecting people.