DETROIT (WXYZ) — As we approach a new school year, southeast Michigan is battling both rising COVID cases and an uptick in confirmed cases of Monkeypox.
When it comes to COVID-19, several counties in our area are now back in the CDC's high community level category, in which it's recommended face masks be worn inside.
Dr. Matthew Sims, the director of infection disease research at Beaumont Health, attributes this summer case surge to a few things.
"The people that are vaccinated, a lot of them are starting to wane. And there’s confusion for people as to whether they should be getting the boost now or waiting for the Omicron boost.”
An Omicron-specific booster shot, taking into the account the BA.5 subvariant, is expected to be available sometime this fall, the Biden administration said Friday.
Monekypox cases are also slowly starting to rise here in Michigan, though Dr. Sims points out these viruses are very different.
“Part of the issue right now is to try and contain it [Monkeypox] before it gets completely out of control. And again, I’ve said this before I’ll say it again. This is not going to be another COVID, right. It just doesn’t spread that way," he said.
Monkeypox can be transmitted sexually, however Dr. Sims said it's also transmitted via skin-to-skin contact and thus is not considered a traditional STI.
"The good news about these viruses, pox viruses, is that once you'd had them you get full protection. So people don't tend to get it twice."
Of the nearly 30 confirmed Monkeypox cases in our area, 13 are in Wayne County with 10 being specifically in the city of Detroit.
The city recently announced a limited vaccine supply would be available to those who have been exposed to the virus or think they've been exposed.
Detroit's Monkeypox vaccine sites are at the Wayne HIV/STI Clinic located at 50 East Canfield and also at the Detroit Health Department on 100 Mack Avenue.
Dr. Sims suggests people make sure they are up-to-date on all of their vaccines as we approach the fall.
When it comes to Monekypox vaccine supply, he believes Michigan is in a relatively good place given our low numbers.
"I know there have been shortages of vaccines in New York, for example, where their numbers are much higher.”
Nationwide, according to the CDC, there are 5,189 confirmed cases of Monekypox. New York has 1,345.
To learn more about Monkeypox signs and symptoms, click here: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html
