California Governor Declares State of Emergency over Monkeypox Outbreak

As the Monkeypox virus spreads across the country, California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday proclaimed a state of emergency to support the state’s immunisation programmes. The announcement comes as more than 5,800cases, including almost 800 in California, have been recorded as probable or confirmed across the US. The epidemic of  has received worldwide attention from the World Health Organization, but the Biden administration has not declared a national public health emergency. California, the largest US state, is now the third after New York and Illinois to make a statewide statement about the illness.

The proclamation increases the number of persons who may immunise citizens against the virus even if there is still a vaccine shortage by allowing emergency medical services professionals throughout California to give FDA-approved Monkeypox vaccinations. According to the emergency declaration, “growing the pool of eligible vaccine recipients would significantly help projected future immunisation efforts and existing efforts upon receipt of more doses from the Federal Government.”

To ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment, and outreach, Newsom said in a news release that California is working urgently at all levels of government to slow the spread of Monkeypox. “California is leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing, and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic,” Newsom said.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,is a poxvirus related to smallpox that typically results in pimple- or blister-like lesions as well as flu-like symptoms like fever, headaches, muscular pains, chills, and respiratory symptoms. According to the CDC, the virus may transmit to anybody through intimate contact, frequently skin-to-skin. People can potentially get Monkeypox from infected animals.