Lower Manhattan Pols Push To Declare Monkeypox State Of Emergency

WEST VILLAGE, NY — A group of prominent Lower Manhattan elected officials released a joint statement Friday calling for a State of Emergency in response to the growing number of monkeypox cases in New York.

The request from Sen. Brad Hoylman, Rep. Jerry Nadler, Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Assembly Member Dick Gottfried, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, and Council Member Erik Bottcher, comes one day after New York declared monkeypox an "Imminent Threat to Public Health."

"New York is in the middle of another health emergency that shows no signs of abating," the group said in the statement. "Since the first monkeypox case was confirmed on May 18, the number of verified monkeypox cases in New York has risen to 1,341, more than 25% of all cases nationally, and continues to grow."

The group did say that the NYS Department of Health's declaration of the Imminent Threat was important, "but not sufficient," in recognizing and combatting the seriousness of the virus.

The current declaration means that the city's health department, and others across the state, can access additional reimbursement from the state for monkeypox-related responses.

However, a State of Emergency declaration would "help facilitate" disaster response efforts even more by cutting the red tape that comes with the quick distribution of testing, treatment, and vaccines.

"In addition, a disaster declaration will send a message to the federal government that we need additional resources to deal with this health crisis," the group of elected officials said in the joint statement.

The group added that the call to action was even more urgent given the impending return of New York's 1.1 million college students in August and September.

At-risk New Yorkers have been frustrated by numerous problems in the city's rollout of vaccinations, including a spate of glitches on an appointment website and a persistent lack of supply from the federal government.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New Yorker, and President Joe Biden this week helped secure 110,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine for the state, of which 80,000 will go toward New York City.

The doses will be delivered over the next four to six weeks, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Patch reporter Matt Troutman contributed to this report.