HHS Is Taking Monkeypox More Seriously Than Ever. Should You?

Some metropolitan public health officials across the country have complained about poor distribution of tests for monkeypox since the slow and steady uptick of cases in the United States began in May. Most recently, New York City declared a state of emergency in order to expand access to resources to fight outbreaks there. And with nearly 3,500 U.S. cases confirmed according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services is stepping in to try to meet the growing demand. HHS started a program to distribute monkeypox testing supplies to commercial lab companies Aegis Science, Labcorp, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics, and Sonic Healthcare in an attempt to ensure more widespread distribution. The CDC now recommends testing any patient who presents with a rash that resembles monkeypox.