Biden Planning to Declare Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency Ahead of Midterms
White House leaks reveal plans declare state of emergency
© press
Democrat Joe Biden is planning to declare monkeypox a public health emergency ahead of the looming red wave that is predicted for the midterm elections.
The Biden administration is weighing plans to declare a state of emergency in the coming days, according to reports.
Sources familiar with the matter reportedly told Politico the declaration could happen as soon as later this week.
The declaration would be made by Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Such a move could impose nationwide restrictions.
Similar measures in 2020 saw the roll-out of controversial mail-in voting for the presidential election, a move that significantly benefited the Democrats.
Declaring an emergency would give HHS access to additional funds and increase its staff to address the matter.
Secretary Xavier Becerra is expected to hold press conferences this week to warn the public about the threat of monkeypox.
The report comes days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the international monkeypox virus outbreak a global health emergency.
Officials in the U.S. have been raising the alarm about monkeypox.
Health departments in San Francisco and other major cities say they still don’t have enough shots of the vaccine to meet demand.
"Woke" California lawmaker Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, issued a statement urging Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency.
It’s time for California & San Francisco to declare a state of emergency on monkeypox.
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) July 27, 2022
Monkeypox isn’t contained. It’s spreading & we don’t have enough vaccines or testing.
A state of emergency allows flexibility on testing, contracting for services & vaccine administration.
"Unfortunately, because our federal government failed to act quickly to acquire the vaccine supplies needed to prevent an outbreak, we are now in a public health emergency that is only going to escalate," Weiner said.
"Given that gay and bi men and trans people are the most impacted, it’s sadly becoming clear that we are being left behind once again."
The monkeypox virus mainly spreads through skin-on-skin contact, but it can also transmit through touching linens used by someone with the infection.
The vast majority of cases reported have been in men who have sex with men.
However, health officials have stressed that anyone can catch the virus.
