UVA Health preparing for monkeypox cases

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - With Monkeypox now a public health emergency, UVA Health says we are feeling it in our region too.

Doctors say this should make a vaccine available sooner, though.

Doctor Costi Sifri says he has been having conversations with the university about how to prevent cases in Charlottesville, especially once students return. He says there should be clinical resources and evaluations at student health.

“I think that what we’ll see is that there’s going to be a number of different efforts. I think that initially it is going to be a strong effort on educating and making the University community aware of monkeypox, of what it is, how it’s transmitted, and the best ways to protect oneself from it,” Dr. Sifri said.

Dr. Sifri says once vaccine production is ramped up in the fall, we can anticipate more local efforts to provide them.

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