Deborah Birx points out racial mistakes in dealing with monkeypox outbreaks

Doctor Deborah Birx He says he made a mistake in dealing with the recent outbreak of monkeypox.she said Newsweek Racial issues emerged from the first incident in Britain in May. “There is a difference between black and brown and white skin. From the beginning … I shouldn’t have just posted a photo of black and brown skin,” she said.

Birx, who was the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under the Trump administration from 2020 to 2021, is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC) It was a problem to have to correct their own notice about monkeypox.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that usually spreads from animals to humans. Is is endemic to Central and West Africa, with hundreds, if not thousands, of cases recorded each year.

Recent outbreaks are extremely rare, with more than 2,100 cases of monkeypox recorded in 37 countries that are not normally found, according to CDC data. It is unclear why this outbreak is happening now.

The world is still free from the COVID pandemic, and Birx said clarity is key to preventing the spread of monkeypox. It is also important that the virus is relevant in the context of the population.

“The really important thing about COVID is now [monkeypox] It is a crystal clear, and it is to keep repeating the crystal clear.So I have all of these [diseases] It should be an opportunity to make it very clear what it is and associate it with something that people understand. “

Burkes said the images used to convey the symptoms of monkeypox, especially the rash that usually appears after fever, should have been considered in terms of the population being conveyed.

Over 76% of the US population is white. Still, the images circulated to show what the lesions looked like, mostly black skin. This issue was highlighted by the African Foreign Press Association, which condemned the use of black photographs by the British and North American media.

Mr Burks said the failure should have been identified early in the outbreak. “Historically, this virus was present in sub-Saharan Africa, so we know what it looks like on black skin, but like many viral diseases, it causes mild redness on black skin. Miss the first rash that can cause, “she said.

“The CDC doesn’t need to fix the notification from the beginning because it may not be seen, and this is the part I’m still having problems with — population health must be converted and adapted to your population. Must be. “

CDC Spark backlash Because it caused confusion in their monkeypox guidance related to that transmission. Travelers have issued guidance that masks should be worn to prevent their spread, but have removed this advice to avoid “confusion”.

When it comes to public health, Burks said authorities should be clear from the beginning, as the virus presentation can be different, especially for people with lighter skin.

“”[We need to] Please note this because we really want to find you, get effective treatment, spread the virus, and tell them that you will get effective treatment, “she says. I did.

“I think that’s where we continue to make mistakes. We need to talk about personal health and how it affects the health of the population.”

Birx also said that the poxvirus is not new, unlike when COVID-19 first appeared.

Monkeypox virus belongs to the same family as smallpox virus, which has been eradicated since 1977. Although the two are not the same, smallpox vaccination helps prevent the serious symptoms of monkeypox. public.

“It’s important to remember that it was smallpox that was allowed,” Burks said. [scientists] Understand vaccination in the first place. “

“We’ve done a lot of research on poxviruses,” she said. “There are also medicines developed against the poxvirus. [we should] Put this monkeypox in that context. People will have a framework of criteria that will not soon be: “Oh, this is another infectious disease that I really worry about.”

“This is the virus we have experienced, because the country has been studying poxviruses for a very long time.”

The World Health Organization recently announced its intention to change the name of monkeypox to avoid racial stigma and discrimination.

Dr. Tedros Adhanomgebreyes, WHO Director, said he would work with experts “around the world” to find more suitable alternatives and announce the new name “as soon as possible”.

Commenting on the move, Birx said transparency is important.

“We need to put it in the context of all poxviruses, so from the beginning we need to use referrals as an ability to explain what it really is and what it is not.

“Knowledge is power. It turns out that we are fighting pandemics around the world. Even with early science and data, the more information, science and data we can provide to people, the more people understand it. And they want it. You handle everything and monetize them, causing confusion. “