Lawmakers send letter to HHS Secretary Becerra asking for aid
LANSING, Mich. (Aug. 9, 2022) — Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) and Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) today sent a letter, along with several of their House and Senate colleagues, to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra asking for federal assistance to fight monkeypox in Michigan.
To date, the state has 70 confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease, and that number is expected to climb.
“As a microbiologist, I understand how critical it is to take timely and aggressive action to mitigate the spread of a disease,” Rep. Pohutsky said. “Although the mortality rate of monkeypox is low, it presents an increased risk to people who are immunocompromised, pregnant or have other risk factors. We can put federal assistance to immediate and beneficial use here in Michigan.”
The letter asks Secretary Becerra to provide federal resources to allocate more vaccines, expand diagnostic testing, and coordinate with state and local officials to ensure that areas with the greatest need are getting the appropriate assistance.
“We recognize that our LGBTQ+ community has been disproportionately impacted by the spread of monkeypox virus, and I’m proud that our community center Affirmations is stepping up to host a vaccine clinic this week and weekend in Ferndale,” Sen. Moss said. “This vaccine should be accessible to anyone who knows their own risk factors. We need urgent federal support to ensure the availability of the vaccine to anyone who wants it here in Michigan.”
The Oakland County Health Department will be administering monkeypox vaccinations on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 3 to 7 p.m. (by appointment only) and Saturday, Aug. 13, from noon to 4 p.m. (walk-in at any time) at Affirmations, 290 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, MI 48220. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-848-5533 and press option 3.
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