Misinformation about monkeypox could affect the LGBTQ+ community

On May 7, the WHO reported the first case of monkeypox in the United Kingdom, shortly after it first appeared in the United States. During this week, the Joe Biden administration has declared a national health emergency. diseases by the number of those affected that exist in the world.

Some experts have found that from the very first days misinformation that has been spread about monkeypox they are worried because it may affect the gay community in the first place.

It has been handled in some media that people who have been infected are homosexual and bisexual men through sexual contact. This argument stigmatized society.

Until now More than 7,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States. mainly affects men who have sex with men.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that it is not a sexually transmitted disease. However, it has been widely believed that this is the case.

The CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) have acknowledged that the disease disproportionately affects men who have sex with men and last month they asked gays and bisexuals to limit the number of their sexual partners to reduce the spread, The Hill reported.

Jay Brown, senior vice president of programs, research and education for the Campaign for Human Rights, an LGBTQ+ rights advocacy group, told the same newspaper that he was concerned that some of the information could lead to serious problems for children.

“It continues to perpetuate the stigma against the community. It hurts the LGBT kids who watch it and it’s sad. No one benefits from this,” he said.

“We have families, we’re going to hug our families, and we’re going to put our kids to bed at night. Using scare and misinformation tactics against the community is really harmful and anyone can get this disease,” he said.

The spread of misinformation about monkeypox dates back to the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, when messages and warnings were inaccurate and inconsistent.

The Biden administration has given states and cities across the country more 1.1 million doses of vaccines to fight the spread of the virusin addition to expanding testing from 6,000 per week to over 80,000.

I may interest you:

  • Monkeypox: how serious is it and what causes death?
  • Concern that more than 40% of those infected with monkeypox are Hispanic in Los Angeles.
  • FDA approves more vaccines to contain US monkeypox outbreak

Author: Opinion
Source: La Opinion

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