Schools and Families are Concerned About Preventing the Spread of Monkeypox

As the summer is winding down, families are gearing up for the upcoming school year. If you have been reading or watching the news lately you have probably heard that the spread of monkeypox has become a concern and was declared a global health emergency on July 23rd, 2022. This has left parents, teachers, and school administrators anxious and unsure about how to keep children safe from monkeypox while at school.

As of August 11th, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there have been 31,799 confirmed cases of monkeypox globally1. Monkeypox is a virus commonly spread by direct contact with a person who has the virus, contact with personal items of a person who has the virus, or by respiratory droplets. The most common symptom of monkeypox is a rash that may be located on just the face, hands, feet, mouth, and/or genitals or it could be all over the body. The rash is often painful or itchy. Other symptoms that could be experienced include fever, headache, and fatigue. Symptoms usually appear within two to three weeks of being exposed. Monkeypox is contagious for an average of two to four weeks until the rash has healed.

The transmission of monkeypox is a big concern for families, schools, and healthcare providers. People would like to know how to best protect children from the virus and would like more guidelines and information from health officials. Fox 5 New York quoted Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers saying “We’ve asked the federal government and the CDC to put out real protocols in terms of best practices when it comes to monkeypox”2.

Families and schools in New York City are especially concerned because it is considered the epicenter of the monkeypox outbreak in the United States. The city is working to obtain and administer monkeypox vaccines to those at high risk but demand is high and vaccine supplies are low.

The CDC has released general recommendations for everyone to prevent monkeypox by avoiding close skin-to-skin contact with anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox, avoiding contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used, and washing hands often. Schools and families are still waiting for more guidance from health and government officials about preventing the spread of monkeypox in schools. For more information on the general spread and prevention of monkeypox visit the CDC website by clicking here.

Resources

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, August 4). 2022 Monkeypox Outbreak Global Map. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/world-map.html
2. Funk, L. (2022, August 9). Monkeypox in NYC: Are schools a concern? FOX 5 New York. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.fox5ny.com/news/monkeypox-in-nyc-are-schools-a-concern
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, July 29). Monkeypox. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html

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