https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-public-health-officials-confirm-case-of-monkeypox https://www.statnews.com/2022/05/18...ypox-cases-raising-specter-of-wider-outbreak/
Why is monkeypox spreading at an accelerated rate now? I've read that the initial genomic analysis suggests that the increased transmission of the monkeypox virus is not due to mutations of the virus. Is SARS-2 causing immune suppression that favors transmission of the monkeypox virus?
I’m old enough to have had the smallpox vax as a child so have less to be concerned about for a change.
When I first heard about monkeypox recently, I thought, really? Are worries about climate change, pandemics, racism, misogyny, gun violence, the toppling of democracies, and inflation not enough? Must we also deal with a new catastrophe? My anxiety closet is already bulging. But from what I've read, there isn't a lot to worry about presently although we need to keep informed about the current monkeypox cases amid questions about its transmission. I was relieved to read that the smallpox vaccine many of us had as children offers a good bit of protection since it lasts a long time. But I do wonder how long. The article I read said people have good antibodies even 50 years later. I had my smallpox vaccine longer ago than that. It is reassuring that the U.S. has so much smallpox vaccine stockpiled, but there would need to be plenty around the world if smallpox vaccines for monkeypox were recommended.
Some people seem to be concerned that this might be a new pandemic, following on from Covid-19. I'm not, but am I the only one being uncomfortably reminded of the (apparent?) start of the AIDS epidemic?
I really hope that monkeypox does not become an excuse to further stigmatize the gay community. From what I've read, the transmission of these recent cases is thought to be from close contact, such as when people have sex. It's not conclusive that's it's being transmitted by gay sex.
Quite. Although a significant number of the cases do appear to have been in that community, at least in the initial stages. Not sure what the situation is now.
W.H.O. Declares Monkeypox Spread a Global Health Emergency https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/23/health/monkeypox-pandemic-who.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur
Also reading that there are several outbreaks of Polio in Pakistan and first case in the U.S in over a decade.