ALBANY, N.Y. (WENY) – Governor Kathy Hochul has issued an Executive Order declaring a State Disaster Emergency in response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak.
It’s been detected in 77 countries. The executive order enables the state to respond more swiftly to the outbreak and allows health care professionals to take additional steps that will help get more New Yorkers vaccinated.
“After reviewing the latest data on the monkeypox outbreak in New York State, I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our aggressive ongoing efforts to confront this outbreak. More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York State, and we need to utilize every tool in our arsenal as we respond. It’s especially important to recognize the ways in which this outbreak is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain at-risk groups. That’s why my team and I are working around the clock to secure more vaccines, expand testing capacity and responsibly educate the public on how to stay safe during this outbreak,” Hochul said.
The Executive order also allows EMS personnel, pharmacists, and midwives to administer the monkeypox vaccine. It also requires providers to send vaccine data to the New York State Department of Health.
Hochul also announced that the federal government had secured an additional 110,000 vaccine doses, which means 170,000 doses to New Yorkers to date.
Hochul and the Department of Health will continue to coordinate with the White House, the CDC, and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response to ensure that New York continues to receive vaccine supplies as soon they are available, especially for those New Yorkers in communities with high transmission rates.
For more information about monkeypox, including case counts by county, treatment, and care, visit: health.ny.gov/monkeypox or NYSDOH’s dedicated website.
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