Today Sussex Pride joined Centerlink and over 150 LGBTQ community centers around the country calling on the CDC to take additional action to address recent spread of the hMPXV virus. The hMPXV virus, also known as Monkeypox, was declared a national Public Health Emergency (PHE) on August 4th by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The letter, printed in its entirety below, asks for several specific steps from the CDC:
- Providing funding that can be distributed to LGBTQ+ community centers who are on the ground daily educating, vaccinating, and treating patients.
- Increasing the number of available vaccines
- Expanding testing and increasing patient access to testing.
- Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data throughout the duration of the outbreak.
- Releasing clear and consistent data so that everyone throughout the US is able to understand the outbreak and make informed decisions on how to protect themselves.
“LGBTQ Community Centers know first hand how the hMPXV virus impacts our communities.” states David Mariner, Executive Director of Sussex Pride. “Now is the time to advocate.”
CenterLink is a nonprofit organization and member-based association of LGBTQ centers and other LGBTQ organizations serving their local and regional communities. Center link works to strengthen, support, and connect LGBTQ community centers. Find out more at www.lgbtcenters.org.
Sussex Pride, a member of Centerlink, is a new nonprofit working to celebrate, strengthen, and support the LGBTQ+ community in Sussex County and the state of Delaware. Find out more at www.sussexpride.org.
To read the full letter click here: CDC Letter 2022