President Joe Biden’s administration has announced that it’s accelerating the distribution of 1.8 million monkeypox vaccines. While a positive development, it can’t paper over the government’s multiple missteps in responding to this crisis.
Symptoms of monkeypox, a virus from the smallpox family, include fever, headaches, chills, a sore throat and a rash that can evolve into painful lesions inside the mouth and other sensitive areas. Although so far there have been no U.S. fatalities, the virus can last for two to four weeks and is said to cause excruciating pain. The number of infections is rising, now standing at more than 17,000 nationwide. Even as early hot spots New York City and Los Angeles County see infection rates fall, new cases continue to increase across much of the rest of the U.S.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has shown anything, it’s that a public health emergency of this kind requires two things: efficient distribution of resources to mitigate the outbreak, and clear communication with the public about the risks involved. When it comes to monkeypox, Biden’s administration fell short on both counts.
