While children can contract the monkeypox virus, it is not likely to spread rapidly once schools reopen this fall, a Duke pediatrician cautioned Friday.
Because the virus spreads through prolonged, close, skin-to-skin contact, youngsters are unlikely to get it in school and daycare settings as long as parents, teachers and other providers take precautions, said Dr. Ibukun Kalu, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Duke.
Kalu joined two Duke Health colleagues Friday to discuss the monkeypox virus outbreak – which President Biden declared a national health emergency this week. In a virtual briefing with journalists, the three experts fielded questions on testing, public health messaging, how communities should deal with the virus, stigmas associated with monkeypox, and other issues. (Replay the briefing on YouTube.)