New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued an emergency executive order today declaring a local state of emergency in the city due to the monkeypox outbreak.

Adams released the following statement today: 

Concern about the spread of the monkeypox virus has reached a new level in New York City.

As Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in New York, this emergency executive order allows the mayor to suspend local laws, and enact rules, as necessary, to protect the well-being and health of all New Yorkers.

The separate public health declaration of emergency issued on Saturday by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) allows DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan to issue commissioner’s orders amending provisions of the New York City Health Code to protect public health and slow the spread.   

The label allows local governments more room to do what they can to slow rising case numbers.

Some of the initiatives these orders will do is make more health care professionals qualified to give out the vaccine and make getting the shot simpler.

Many New Yorkers and health care experts have said that the supply of the vaccine has not been able to keep up with demand.

New York City is expected to receive 80,000 doses of the vaccine in the coming weeks and months, which, along with the new orders, city leaders hope will keep cases at bay.

Health officials have said the city has been the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States.

The governor reports that one in four cases of monkeypox in the whole country are in New York.