U.S. Lawmakers Cite Shortage in Monkeypox Vaccines
Summary from the AllSides News Team
As the prevalence of monkeypox continues to rise across the country, a number of lawmakers have criticized the Biden administration for not meeting the demand for monkeypox vaccines.
Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) wrote on Wednesday that his community is "veering toward a public health mess" given the monkeypox vaccine shortage "caused" by the federal government. As of Wednesday, 68 confirmed cases of monkeypox were detected in San Francisco and a number of clinics in the area have closed until more vaccines arrive. On the same day, Sen. Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) wrote in a letter that the Biden administration is "once again significantly behind the curve" and hasn't learned from the "devastating effects" of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the New York City Health Department on Tuesday reported that the demand for monkeypox was so high that it caused its appointment system to crash. The World Health Organization will meet next week to determine if monkeypox should be declared a global health emergency after declining to do so last month. The agency on Tuesday said that 9,200 monkeypox cases have been detected in 63 countries.
Outlets across the spectrum noted that monkeypox is "rarely fatal" and will unlikely lead to hospitalization. Left-rated outlets were more likely to highlight voices who said most of the cases are among gay men and that a global outbreak was "avoidable." Conversely, right-rated outlets criticized the mainstream media for sensationalizing the monkeypox virus and that it's not as much of a problem as it seems.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
San Francisco is 'veering towards a public health mess' on monkeypox, lawmaker says
A Bay Area lawmaker is warning that San Francisco is "veering toward a public health mess" over monkeypox, citing a Wednesday announcement from the San Francisco Department of Public Health that said the agency is running low on monkeypox vaccines and will shutter its clinic at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital until more supply arrives.
State Rep. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said the timing of the vaccine shortage is especially troubling given the disease's growing prevalence in the area.
"This exhaustion of existing vaccine supply is happening exactly as San Francisco and...
From the Right
Sen. Burr Calls Biden Admin's Monkeypox Response 'Behind the Curve' in Letter to HHS
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., said the administration of President Joe Biden was "falling short" and "behind the curve" in how it is responding to the current monkeypox outbreak in the wake of what the country learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Despite the once in a century pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, the U.S. response to an existing threat is falling short, failing to develop and issue a research plan to understand the threat and its characteristics, failing to rapidly engage the private sector to develop tests for the virus,...
From the Center
WHO to convene second emergency meeting to decide if monkeypox is a global health threat as cases rise to 9,200
The World Health Organization said Tuesday that it will convene a second emergency meeting next week to decide if monkeypox poses a global health threat as cases rise to 9,200.
The U.N. agency declined last month to declare a global emergency in response to monkeypox. But as infections have risen substantially over the last several weeks, the organization is expected to consider whether to issue its highest alert when the emergency committee reconvenes next week.
“The emergency committee for monkeypox will reconvene next week and look at trends, how effective the countermeasures...
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