The World Health Organization has declared monkeypox a global health emergency, with more than 25,000 cases reported in 83 countries. Seventy-six countries that see cases of monkeypox usually have no infections, according to the CDC. Monkeypox can be spread through skin-to-skin contact, and current infections are mostly among men who have sex with men.
New York City, which has declared a local state of emergency, has emerged as the epicenter of the disease, with more than 1,600 cases of monkeypox. California, which has more than 800 cases, and Illinois, with about 500 cases, have also declared states of emergency because of the monkeypox outbreak.
DeSantis also criticized New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, for declaring a state of emergency over the explosion, saying he believed it was a move to restrict people’s freedom.
“They will abuse those emergency powers to limit your freedom,” Desantis said. “I guarantee you that’s what will happen.”
DeSantis Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo said Wednesday during the same news conference that Florida has an adequate supply of monkeypox vaccines, although he questioned the safety of the Centers’ two recommended monkeypox vaccines. of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He claimed that very little data exists on their effectiveness.
The CDC has recommended two vaccines to treat monkeypox — Jynneos, also known as Imvamune or Imvanex, from Denmark, and another known as ACAM2000, which was developed after the World Health Organization declared smallpox eliminated in 1980.
Ladapo has a long history of questioning the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines, despite the vast majority of medical professionals, including the US Food and Drug Administration and the Mayo Clinic, emphasizing the safety and effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine.
A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services database also shows the state was given 36,383 doses of the Jynneos vaccine last week.
Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.), who is challenging DeSantis for governor, criticized the governor for his response to the virus.
“As Governor DeSantis dismisses Monkeypox, at-risk Floridians still need better information, better testing and access to prevention vaccines,” he tweeted.
During the press conference, DeSantis also railed against gender-affirming surgeries on children, saying doctors who perform such procedures should be sued. His comments follow a Florida Department of Health request to the state medical board to stop transition-related medical care for children. The Florida Board of Medicine is expected to vote on whether to begin the rulemaking process on the ban on Friday.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association support gender-affirming care for adults and adolescents. However, medical guidelines do not recommend gender-affirming surgeries for children under 18.
