Statement for the Record on Senate Committee Monkeypox Hearing

Premier submitted a statement for the record for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing entitled, “Stopping the Spread of Monkeypox: Examining the Federal Response” focusing on our observations of the federal government’s response to Monkeypox and recommending actions to improve the nation’s preparedness for public emergencies. Premier provided insight into what steps Congress, the Administration and stakeholders need to take now to ensure the nation can respond agilely to Monkeypox and other future emergencies, including:

• Syndromic surveillance to predict community outbreaks
• Greater transparency around supply availability and allocation methods
• Automated tracking and reporting the spread of disease
• A robust testing strategy
• An effective mass vaccination strategy
• Reforms to the Strategic National Stockpile
• Bolstering domestic manufacturing for critical medical supplies
• Coordination among the various government agencies leading the response efforts Collaboration between the public and private sectors