Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order Friday declaring a “disaster emergency” in response to the recent monkeypox outbreak.
The executive order allows the state to respond more quickly to the outbreak and allows health professionals to take additional steps to ensure New Yorkers are vaccinated, according to a news release.
The order also expands the pool of eligible individuals who can administer monkeypox vaccines — such as emergency medical personnel, pharmacists and midwives — doctors and registered nurses are authorized to issue non-patient-specific orders for monkeypox vaccines and requires providers to submit vaccine data to the New York State Department of Health, according to the statement.
As of Tuesday, there were 1,092 suspected monkeypox cases in the city, according to the city health department.
“More than one in four cases of monkeypox in this country are in New York State, and we must use every tool in our arsenal as we respond.” It is especially important to recognize the ways in which this epidemic is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain at-risk groups,” Hochul wrote in a statement.
This response comes days after the announcement that the federal government is sending an additional 80,000 monkeypox vaccines to New York.
On Thursday, New York State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett declared monkeypox an “imminent threat” to public health in the state.
Add Comment