People with knowledge of the situation predict that the Biden administration will designate monkeypox a public health emergency in the coming days.
The World Health Organization’s designation of monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern would likely influence the Biden administration’s decision, according to a piece by Dr. Robert Malone titled “Monkeypox or Moneypox?” (PHEIC). However, as Malone emphasized, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ announcement of PHEIC stands in stark contrast to the recommendations of the independent review team.
According to the most current WHO report, despite the virus’s increased aggressiveness, just five deaths have been reported, all of which occurred in Africa.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will have access to extra funding and be able to hire new people if the Biden administration decides to designate monkeypox a public health emergency.
By the end of the week, according to the persons with knowledge of the situation, the Biden administration will make a statement. Even so, the choice is not definitive. A HHS representative stated that the organization is still considering its options.
A news conference about monkeypox will be held by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on Thursday morning.
According to a representative for the White House, there are currently no new developments. Officials with Biden have been debating whether to declare monkeypox a national emergency for days.
According to Tom Inglesby, head of the Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, “I do think it deserves to be one. We’re having a lot of challenges around the country with their rate of rise in terms of new cases. It isn’t isn’t an emergency posing a high threat to the general population. But it’s still moving and has the potential to spread to additional vulnerable communities.”
