Source: ChildrensHealthDefense.org
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began sounding the alarm about a potential rise in mpox (formerly monkeypox) outbreaks this summer, just days before publishing studies suggesting that two doses of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine, rather than one, offer “real-world” protection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on May 11 ended the global health emergency for mpox — less than a week after it ended the COVID-19 emergency.
But on May 15, the CDC issued a health alert, warning that although mpox cases had declined since peaking last August, “the outbreak is not over.”
The alert informed clinicians and public health agencies that the CDC and local partners were investigating a cluster of mpox cases in the Chicago area, where 12 confirmed and one probable case of mpox had been reported to the Chicago Department of Public Health between April 17 and May 5.
Health officials should be aware of “the potential for new clusters or outbreaks of mpox cases,” the health alert warned. The CDC also warned that it was likely that “spring and summer season in 2023 could lead to a resurgence of mpox as people gather for festivals and other events.”
Nine of the possibly 13 infected men near Chicago were fully vaccinated against mpox, raising concerns over Jynneos’ efficacy. However, the CDC emphasized that “vaccination continues to be one of the most important prevention measures.”
The CDC’s announcement and the Chicago cases were widely covered in the press, leading cities like San Francisco to issue public health announcements encouraging vaccination….