Kathleen Moore is reporting for the Times Union the New York State Department of Health announced on July 28, that monkeypox is an imminent threat to public health. The declaration provides local health departments access to additional state reimbursement for response and prevention activities. Monkeypox is spreading rapidly, Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary T. Bassett said in a statement. Anyone can get the virus, which is primarily spread through close, physical contact between people. Although men who have sex with men constitute the majority of those infected right now, the virus does not differentiate. Anyone can get monkeypox. Contact does not have to be sexual. A baby and a toddler contracted monkeypox from their parents in other states. Because sexual contact is a common way to get the virus, the state Health Department advised all sexual partners to discuss whether they have any rashes or other monkeypox symptoms before skin-to-skin contact. If one person has symptoms, they should isolate at home and contact a health care provider for treatment and pain relief. The person should isolate from pets as well as people. An additional 110,000 doses of vaccine will arrive in New York during the next four to six weeks, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. The vaccine is two shots, given four weeks apart. The person is fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose. New Yorkers can sign up to receive mobile messages about cases and where to get tested or vaccinated by texting "MONKEYPOX" to 81336. Read the full story in the Times Union.