The Daily

How Monkeypox Went From Containable to Crisis

Aug 1, 2022

Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times, dives into the alarming spread of monkeypox in the U.S. Initially deemed manageable, the virus quickly escalated into a public health crisis. Apoorva discusses challenges in testing and vaccination, particularly affecting the LGBTQ+ community. She shares personal accounts of individuals facing difficulties in securing treatment. The conversation sheds light on systemic weaknesses in the public health infrastructure and the urgent need for improved responses to outbreaks.

24:11

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Episode guests

Apoorva Mandavilli

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Monkeypox: From Containable to Crisis

10min

Challenges in Accessing Monkeypox Treatment for High-Risk Populations

3min

A Personal Battle with Monkeypox

4min

Public Health Parallels: Lessons from Nephi to Monkeypox

5min

Critical Political Developments and Climate Initiatives

3min

In mid-June, cases of monkeypox were in the double digits in the United States. There were drug treatments and vaccines against it. There didn’t seem to be any reason for alarm.

But in the weeks since, the virus has spread rapidly across the country, with some local and state officials declaring public health emergencies.

Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

Longstanding weaknesses in the American public health system are giving monkeypox a chance to become entrenched.
Here are answers to three pressing questions about how the virus spreads and how it can be treated.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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