Officials concerned U.S. is making same mistakes addressing monkeypox as it did COVID-19
NEW YORK -- The monkeypox vaccination effort has been widely criticized, but this weekend New York City and state leaders have vowed to ramp up distribution.
There have been more than 1,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox in New York, and most have been reported in the five boroughs. That has created a demand for a vaccine that has not as widely available as many would hope.
There were lines at city-run vaccination sites throughout the weekend. At times, they were long, CBS2's Kevin Rincon reported Sunday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams declared the outbreak an emergency, in an effort to help speed up the response.
"It's going to allow more people to administer the vaccine, which will open up more locations. It will hopefully bring a lot more vaccine to our region, which is sorely needed," said David Kilmnick, president of the LGBT Network.
The mayor says as many as 150,000 New Yorkers could be exposed to the virus, which makes knowing how it spreads important.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox can be spread though close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact. That includes touching a rash, scabs or body fluids from a person with the virus.
Another way to get sick is by touching objects or surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox, things like clothes, towels, or even bed linens.
As we learn of more cases, there is growing frustration.
READ MORE: Over 100,000 monkeypox vaccine doses coming to New York state
In a New York Times essay, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says, "Our country's response to monkeypox has been plagued by the same shortcomings we had with COVID-19."
He says if the virus gains a foothold in the U.S., "It will be one of the worst public health failures in modern times."
And that frustration is shared by New Yorkers.
READ MORE: NYC health officials look to rename monkeypox over stigma in communities of color
"Something that could have been prevented if we had planned better, and prioritized things better," one person said.
"You could be sitting on a subway. You could have an open sore. It could be spread. Someone else could sit on there, so I think this needs to be expanded beyond certain populations."
Meanwhile, 15 vaccination sites will come online in neighboring Connecticut on Monday, nearly a month after the first confirmed case was reported.
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