To help prevent the spread of monkeypox, the Centers for Disease Control is urging Americans who may have been exposed to be cautious in their interactions with others. Among such notable pieces of advice to prevent the virus’s spread, that CDC suggests people have sex with their clothes on, masturbate at least 6 feet away from their partner while avoiding contact with any rashes or sores, and that potential patients are also urged to wash their hands, along with their sex gear, sex toys, and any fabrics.

While little is known about monkeypox, according to The New York Times, health officials said last week that transmission is largely attributed to sexually active gay men. So far, there are less than 100 cases in the United States and a few thousand globally. The World Heath Organization will reportedly meet next week to determine if monkeypox is serious enough to be declared a global health emergency, including investigating if the virus can be transmitted sexually due to virus DNA having been found in semen.

While Monkeypox is a serious health risk that deserves to be taken seriously, the strange guidelines the agency issues doesn’t make them any less ridiculous. If someone becomes infected, patients experience a flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes before a rash develops on their face and body. Though monkeypox is not as contagious as COVID-19, it is transmitted through body fluids and continuous contact with infected areas.

No doubt the CDC is overreacting just like they did for COVID-19. Hopefully, there will be criticism heaped on public health experts, like Anthony Fauci, now since doing so was largely discouraged during the COVID-19 outbreak. I mean, have sex with your clothes on and socially distance when you masturbate with or in front of your partner? Seriously?

PHOTO CREDIT: The clinical presentation of monkeypox. By CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63385319