We’re more than two years into the coronavirus pandemic, and the world is facing yet another infectious disease outbreak. While Monkeypox is less contagious than Covid, it has public health organizations around the world on high alert as they manage the largest outbreak of the virus in history. There have been at least 460 cases confirmed in the US and more than 6,000 worldwide, and the number is quickly increasing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has now released new public health guidelines for gatherings and events amid the current Monkeypox outbreak. The WHO recommends taking a risk-based approach to event decisions, including risk evaluation, mitigation, and communication, which is something that event organizers have become adept at and accustomed to over the past two and a half years.
The WHO notes that canceling an event that is scheduled to take place in an area where cases have been reported is “not required as a default measure,” but that “it is still unclear if infected people with no symptoms can transmit the monkeypox virus, making it important for anyone attending gatherings to exert additional care.” The virus can be spread through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, respiratory droplets, and contaminated surfaces.
Many of the same procedures that organizers and attendees have learned about to manage Covid are also relevant when it comes to Monkeypox. In terms of prevention measures, masks are not being recommended due to the nature of the way the virus spreads (not airborne like Covid), but increased cleaning may be more useful. One of the most important recommendations for event organizers is to establish a liaison with the relevant health authorities and be aware of the current monkeypox situation in the event location.
So far, the WHO has not yet officially declared it a global emergency, but it is planning to revisit the possibility as the outbreak spreads, and the US is already planning a vaccination campaign to fight the outbreak. We’ve learned over the past wo years that it’s better to be cautious amid uncertainty. It would be prudent for events and gatherings to continue take appropriate precautions to limit the spread of both Monkeypox and Covid-19.