Some New York Democrats are urging President Joe Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act to enhance the production of monkeypox vaccines, reports The Hill.
"It is clear that vaccine demand is quickly outpacing supply throughout the country," the group said.
"In New York, every vaccine appointment has been taken. According to [the Department of Health and Human Services], the government is now distributing about 1.1 million doses, less than a third of the 3.5 million that health officials now estimate are needed to fight the outbreak.
"It is reported that HHS does not expect the next delivery, of half a million doses, until September," the lawmakers added.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams in early August declared a state of emergency over monkeypox, allowing him to suspend some local laws and enact new rules in order to protect the health of city residents and control the spread of the virus.
New York City's health department is identifying between 60 and 70 new cases each day, according to state officials.
Nearly 2,300 cases were reported through Aug. 12.
The federal government's distribution of monkeypox has been shoddy, according to the The New York Times.
In Idaho, a shipment of 60 vaccine doses disappeared and showed up six days later — they were refrigerated, not frozen as needed. Another 800 doses sent to Minnesota were unusable because the shipment was lost in transit for a longer than necessary period.
"This is happening everywhere," Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, a nonprofit group that represents state, local and territorial officials, told the news outlet.
"Our response is completely inefficient and breaking the back of state and local responders," she added. Hannan said she had never "seen this level of frustration and stress."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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