Queer ATL Politicians AWOL in Monkeypox Fight
There have been more than 350 monkeypox cases reported in Georgia, but no one knows how much higher the actual prevalence is and it’s unclear whether anyone cares.
Entering the third week since I began experiencing symptoms, one of the most challenging aspects of an otherwise mild fight against the disease has been trying to make sure my case was included in Fulton County’s surveillance data.
The CDC has declared monkeypox a nationally reportable disease (meaning every confirmed case must be relayed to county, state, and federal public health departments), even though there is not a single testing site operating in the state and no indications of a mobilization comparable to what we’ve seen with COVID-19.
When I called the Fulton County Health Department to ask how to get an infection confirmed and recorded, four different staffers gave me a four different numbers to call for assistance.
