HEALTH: Monkeypox is Now a Public Health Emergency

Headlines for a healthier you

Elie Levine, Social Media Editor

How Will a 'Public Health Emergency' Status Change the Monkeypox Response?

Monkeypox has been declared a public health emergency in the U.S. The designation grants the government power to allocate emergency funds to develop tests, vaccines, and treatments, as well as hire additional workers to manage the outbreak. It also requires localities to collect and report data about the outbreak.

The move comes a week after the WHO declared monkeypox a global health emergency. Cities and states, including San Francisco, New York City, California, Illinois and New York, had already deemed monkeypox an emergency—though the move didn't give them priority access to the federal government's vaccine stockpile.

Know More

Limited vaccine and test availability is taking a toll on public health systems nationwide. There are more than 6,600 confirmed cases in the U.S., but given the backlog in testing, this is almost certainly an undercount. Some cities with high case rates are delaying the second vaccine shot for those at high risk of the disease in order to administer as many first doses as possible amid supply shortages.

Feel Better

Experts hope the declaration will help pick up a lagging national response to the virus. In addition to boosting vaccine and test supply, it should make it easier to get tecovirimat, an antiviral drug OK'd to treat monkeypox.

What Else Should You Know

Food Expiration Dates Aren't About Safety

Did you know that expiration dates on most food items have nothing to do with safety? Best-by dates tell you when a food is past its peak flavor or quality, but many items are safe to eat long after that time has passed. Use your common sense to tell if a product has gone bad, experts say. Throw out food that smells bad, looks odd, or has mold.

Skittles Aren't Healthy, But They're Not Toxic

A new lawsuit accuses Mars, the parent company of Skittles, of failing to disclose the health risks of titanium dioxide, a compound used as a brightening agent in the candy. The FDA allows the use of titanium dioxide in certain quantities, and experts say there is more to learn before deeming this product "unfit for human consumption."