Understanding Monkeypox

Monkeypox is making headlines and alerting health experts as cases appear in the United States. So, what is it? Monkeypox, a viral disease passed to animals and humans, is very rare in the United States. It’s usually found in Central and West Africa. As monkeypox cases rise in Europe and the United States, health authorities are expressing concern about the unusual uptick.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than those of smallpox. The incubation period from infection to symptoms of monkeypox is usually seven to 14 days, but it can range from five to 21 days. The illness begins with:

Transmission of monkeypox occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an animal, human or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, eyes, nose or mouth.

Consider the following measures to prevent infection with monkeypox:

Avoid contact with (live or dead) animals that could harbor the virus.
Avoid contact with any materials (such as bedding) that have been in contact with a sick
Isolate infected patients from others who could be at risk for infection.
Practice good hand hygiene—washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer—after contact with infected animals or humans.
Use personal protective equipment when caring for patients.
Practice good hand hygiene—washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer—after contact with infected animals or humans.
Use personal protective equipment when caring for patients.

Treatment

There is no proven, safe treatment for monkeypox virus infection at this time. However, most people recover in two to four weeks.

Within one to three days after a fever begins, people may develop a rash on the face that spreads to other body parts.

Visit the CDC’s website for more information about monkeypox. If you have any health concerns, contact your doctor immediately.

What You Need To Know About the Formula Shortage

Supply chain issues and product recalls have sparked a nationwide shortage of infant formulas. Abbott Nutrition’s formula plant in Sturgis, Michigan, restarted production on June 4, but the company said it could take weeks for the formula to be back on the shelves. Abbott Nutrition products make up 40% of the formula market, and its Sturgis

plant is the company’s largest formula factory in the United States.

“According to the market research company Datasembly, 74% of formula products were out of stock during the last week of May.

More than 90% of formula products weren’t always available in nine states.”

Amid this shortage, parents are getting desperate while trying to find solutions and formula for their kids. To help in the interim, President Biden spoke with several retailers and manufacturers—including Walmart, Target, Reckitt and Gerber—to discuss ways to get formula quickly and safely onto store shelves. As a result, manufacturers have ramped up production by 30% to 50%, bringing total output above pre- recall levels with a different mix of products and sizes now available in the market. The

Biden administration also recently started airlifting infant formula from abroad through Operation Fly Formula to address the shortage. Still, many families continue to encounter challenges obtaining infant formula—especially those dependent on specialty formulas used by thousands of infants and some older children and adults with rare medical conditions.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises parents and caregivers not to make or feed homemade formula to infants. Homemade infant formula recipes have not been evaluated by the FDA and may lack nutrients vital to an infant’s growth. Similarly, they should never dilute formula as it takes away essential nutrients and interferes with the body’s ability to absorb them.

Despite production ramping up and the federal government flying product in from other countries, the reality is that many American parents are still on the hunt for infant formula. If you cannot readily find infant formula, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services assembled a list of resources, including manufacturer hotlines, community resources and general guidance.