Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson discussed Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s emergency declaration over smallpox.
“Declaring the state of disaster area, that's what he did. Pritzker did allow the Illinois Department of Public Health to better coordinate with other state agencies to help,” Jacobson said on Chicago’s Morning Answer.
Proft responded, saying Pritzker has "absolute power."
“Excuse me. We have 31 straight disaster declarations on COVID-19 from this governor. We very well know what it means. It means he has absolute power – because the General Assembly won't act – to do what he wants with our lives, with our businesses, with our schools when he wants to. That's what it means,” Proft said in response.
The state notes it has seen only 520 confirmed cases of monkeypox and has only 7,000 vaccines on hand.
Pritzker issued a public health emergency declaration over monkeypox on Monday. It will last 30 days.
"MPV is a rare, but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources to prevent the spread," Pritzker said in a press release. "That's why I am declaring a state of emergency to ensure smooth coordination between state agencies and all levels of government, thereby increasing our ability to prevent and treat the disease quickly. We have seen this virus disproportionately impact the LGBTQ+ community in its initial spread. Here in Illinois we will ensure our LGBTQ+ community has the resources they need to stay safe while ensuring members are not stigmatized as they access critical health care."
Pritzker made the declaration 28 minutes before California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s, according to PBS. New York was the first state to make an emergency declaration. All three states are Democrat-controlled.
The declarations come as President Joe Biden has named Robert Fenton as White House monkeypox coordinator, The New York Times reported.
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