Statement On Mpox Name Change From State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett and City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan

ALBANY, N.Y. (December 1, 2022) - "The words we use matter, and words can carry stigma. For this reason, we applaud the World Health Organization for replacing 'monkeypox' with 'mpox.' The New York State and City Departments of Health will do the same and transition our printed and digital materials to the new name. Our goal is to be as consistent as possible in the weeks and months ahead. We thank our local health departments and community partners for their ongoing collaboration, and all they have done to change this outbreak's trajectory."