Gillibrand wants Defense Production Act used for monkeypox vaccine

(WWNY) - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D. - NY) wants the Defense Production Act to be used to get more monkeypox vaccines produced.

New York has declared it a state disaster emergency.

Now Senator Gillibrand, along with a handful of other senators, is asking the Biden Administration for help.

The Defense Production Act mandates private corporations make certain things to help protect the nation’s security.

“So far the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported over 6,000 known cases of monkeypox in the United States. The World Health Organization has declared the spread a public health emergency of international concern,” said Gillibrand.

“If we don’t use all of the tools that we have at our disposal, Americans will become sick needlessly from a disease that we have the tools to actually prevent,” said Dr. Jay Varma, director, Cornell Center For Pandemic Prevention & Response.

More than 1 in every 4 diagnosed cases of monkeypox in the United States are in New York state.

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