Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in response to Monkeypox on Monday. According to Newsom in his proclamation of a state emergency there have been nearly 800 confirmed probable cases in California.
A release from the governor’s office stated that the California Department of Public Health and others in the administration are coordinating a government response that includes leading educational outreach about the virus, getting vaccines, and treatment.
“California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment and outreach,” said Newsom. “We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization.”
With the state of emergency, Emergency Medical Services are allowed to give FDA approved Monkeypox vaccines. According to the release California will follow the plan made during the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccine clinics and ensuring inclusive and targeted outreach in partnership with local and community-based organizations.
“It is critical to maximize the number of personnel who can administer vaccines within this outreach effort, and expanding the pool of eligible vaccinators will substantially aid current efforts and support anticipated further vaccination efforts upon receipt of additional doses from the federal government,” said Newsom in the proclamation.
According to the release California has distributed more than 25,000 vaccine doses they will continue to allocate doses to local health departments based on a number of factors, including the number of reported monkeypox cases in an area and estimate of at-risk populations.
