Health Care — White House to unwind monkeypox emergency

Netizens are perhaps rightfully scratching their heads over a Pepsi ad featuring Lindsay Lohan in which the actress enjoys a glass of the soda with just a splash of milk.

Today in health, the Biden administration says it doesn’t anticipate renewing the public health emergency that was declared for the monkeypox outbreak earlier this year once it expires at the end of January. 

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White House not expecting emergency renewal

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Friday it does not expect to renew the public health emergency declaration for the monkeypox outbreak when it expires early next year, citing the low number of cases that are now being reported. 

HHS said this decision was based on “current data” and added it would “not be afraid” to change course if conditions change in the future.

Like with the COVID-19 public health emergency, HHS had said it would issue a 60-day notice on whether or not it expected to renew the emergency declaration for monkeypox as a courtesy to stakeholders and health care providers.

The declaration was renewed once in November, with Becerra citing the “continued consequences of an outbreak of monkeypox cases across multiple states.”

In its statement, HHS referred to the U.S.’s progress in responding to the monkeypox outbreak as “virtually unheard of.” 

“Over the next 60 days we will focus on supporting jurisdictions and the Department to ensure the expiration of the PHE will not hinder response efforts,” the agency noted. “Mpox continues to be a priority for HHS and the Administration more broadly, and we do not expect the expiration of the PHE to impact the Administration’s ability to get vaccinations, tests, and treatments to affected individuals.”

New York state health commissioner resigning

New York State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett announced Friday she will be leaving her post on Jan. 1 and returning to the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health.

“This was a very difficult decision. I have tremendous respect for the work our staff has done during a very difficult year responding to COVID, mpox, polio and the day-to-day challenges of protecting New Yorkers’ health,” Bassett said in a statement.   

“I am grateful that the Governor gave me the opportunity to serve as commissioner, and I know that the department and public health will be in good hands thanks to her leadership and the incredible talent and dedication of the staff,” Bassett said about Hochul and her administration in the statement.   

A fresh start: Bassett explained in the statement that she chose to resign at the beginning of next year to allow her successor to a chance to lead the state’s “great” health department for “a full 4-year term” under Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).   

Hochul beat Republican challenger Lee Zeldin in the race for governor in a closer-than-expected election this November, tightly winning her first full-term to the state’s highest office.

Bassett has served as the state’s top health official for just one year, replacing former New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker who stepped down from the post roughly a month after then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) departure in disgrace.