James Krellenstein, founder of the AIDS advocacy group PrEP4All and an organizer of the Montreal protest, said the appointments were long overdue. He did Dr. Daskalakis as an “outstanding physician and epidemiologist” who is “trusted by so many people in the gay and trans community.”
“Every single friend of mine who’s had monkeypox now tried to get vaccinated in late May or early June,” said Mr. Krelenstein, adding that he knew a dozen people who were infected. Because of the federal government’s missteps, he said, they were “unable to vaccinate and unable to protect themselves, and they are sick and in excruciating, inhuman pain.”
So far, the response has been largely coordinated by Dr. Raj Punjabi, Director of Global Health Security and Biodefense at the National Security Council, whose responsibilities include protecting against infectious disease threats. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish K. Jha also played a role, as did Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, a CDC official; Don O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response in the Department of Health and Human Services; and Javier Becerra, Health Secretary.
Concentrating response operations in the White House gives the administration more flexibility to coordinate efforts from multiple agencies, including FEMA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Homeland Security. It also creates a designated team that has no responsibility other than dealing with monkeypox – a move that is understandable, said Dr Anthony S Fauci, Mr Biden’s chief medical adviser.
“Putting together someone who has extensive experience in the implementation of public health programs, the way Bob Fenton did with the distribution of COVID vaccines, with someone like Demetre Daskalakis, who is not only a veteran infectious disease and public The health practitioner, but also very strong, credible relationship to the community, is a very important addition to the overall monkeypox response,” Dr. Fauci said in an interview.
A morning statement from the White House said the two men’s responsibilities would include “equivalently increasing the availability of tests, vaccinations and treatments.”
(This story has not been edited by seemayo staff and is published from a rss feed)