"DIRECT CONNECTION" IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

J THE CRABS ARE AT THEIR LOWEST SUPPLY IN DAIBLGD.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ABOUT A BAY'S FISHERY IS TOM MILLER WHO WAS BEEN STUDYING THE LAB AS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY IN SOLOMON ISLAND.

DR. MILLER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HOW BAD WOULD YOU SAY THE SITUATION IS THIS SUMMER?

>> JEFF, AS YOU SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE ABUNDANCE THAT WE MEASURED LAST YEAR IS THE LOWEST SINCE WE'VE BEEN MEASURING THAT ABUNDANCE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS NOW, SO IT CERTAINLY IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

>> YOU SAID THE MEASUREMENT WAS DONE LAST YEAR.

IS IT BEING BORNE OUT BY WHAT EFFORT WART MEN ARE BRINGING TO DOCKS THERE THIS SUMMER?

>> IN LARGE PART IT IS, YES.

WE MEASURED THAT ABUNDANCE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CRABS BURIED IN THE SEDIMENTS WHEN THE WATER GETS COLD.

THEY GO INTO THE SEDIMENTS.

IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GET AN ACCURATE ESTIMATE OF THEIR ABUNDANCE AT THAT TIME, AND THAT ABUNDANCE IS A VERY RELIABLE PREDICTOR OF THE CATCH IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

>> WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THIS?

SOME YEARS YOU HAVE A DROUGHT, AND THE SALINITY OF THE BAY CHANGES.

SOME YEARS YOU HAVE A FLOOD AND YOU HAVE GOT TO A LOT OF SEDIMENT IN THE WATER.

IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN A PRETTY NORMAL WEATHER SETUP.

>> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND THAT BLUE CRAB HAVE A HUGE NUMBER OF OFFSPRING.

EACH FEMALE CAN PRODUCE 3 MILLION TO 5 MILLION NEW CRABS EACH TIME SHE REPRODUCES, AND YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT LIFE HISTORY, YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY IF YOU DON'T EXPECT SURVIVAL TO BE HIGHLY VARIABLE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, SO THIS VARIABILITY IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD EXPECT FROM BLUE CRAB, BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE IS NOTHING PARTICULAR IN LAST YEAR'S WINTER OR THIS YEAR'S SPRING THAT WOULD POINT TO LOWER SURVIVAL.

>> SO WHAT ARE THE OTHER POSSIBILITIES?

OVERFISHING?

NEW PREDATORS OF ANY KIND?

>> SO OVERFISHING IS OFTEN BROUGHT UP, BUT I THINK OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO, THE WATERMEN HAVE REALLY BEEN A VERY EFFECTIVELY PARTNER WITH MANAGEMENT AGENCIES IN CONTROLLING THEIR FISHING, AND SO WE DON'T THINK OVERFISHING IS THE PRIMARY FACTOR THIS TIME.

IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD, YOU MENTIONED NEW PREDATORS.

THERE ARE INVASIVE SPECIES SUCH AS BLUE CATFISH THANK BECOME WELL-ESTABLISHED IN THE BAY OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES THAT CAN BE VORACIOUS PREDATORS ON BLUE CRAB.

OTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT OUR FOCUS ON CONSERVING FEMALES HAS MEANT THERE ARE, IN FACT, TOO MEW FEW MALES AND THAT THE REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY IS REDUCED AS A RESULT OF THAT.

AND THEN THIRDLY ONE HAS TO BRING UP THE FACTOR OF CLIMATE CHANGE AS A POTENTIAL CAUSE BECAUSE THE YOUNG CRABS SPEND THEIR EARLY MONTHS OFF THE IN ATLANTIC OCEAN, AND THE OCEAN CLIMATE IS CHANGING QUITE RAPIDLY IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

>> LET ME REMIND OUR VIEWERS IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CRAB HARVEST, CRAB POPULATION, THE BAY IN GENERAL, GIVE US A CALL.

WE'LL HAVE THE NUMBER UP ON THE SCREEN.

OR SENDS AN EMAIL TO LIVEQUESTIONS@MPT.ORG.

HOW MUCH MORE, DR. MILLER, DO WE KNOW ABOUT CRABS AND THEIR LIFE CYCLE THAN WE DID WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR RESEARCH?

>> I THINK WE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.

THERE HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT INTEREST BY THE THREE JURISDICTIONS, SO THAT'S THE STATE OF MARYLAND, THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, AND THE POTOMAC RIVER FISHERIES COMMISSION, TO ADVANCE OUR KNOWLEDGE.

THAT INTEREST HAS BEEN PARTNERED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH NOAA.

AND SO WE HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL ADVANCES IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIOLOGICAL OF BLUE CRAB, BIOLOGIC OF BLUE CRAB.

THE LIFE HISTORY OF BLUE CRAB, EVEN IN THE GENETICS.

IT'S ONLY BEEN IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO THAT THE BLUE CRAB GENOME HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SEQUENCED SO WE CAN IDENTIFY A LOT MORE ABOUT CRABS THAN WE COULD EVEN A FEW YEARS AGO.

>> WE WILL TAKE A PHONE CALL FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY.

THIS IS ALLEN.

ALLEN, THANKS FOR THE CALL.

GO AHEAD.

>> YES.

I'M WONDERING, IS THE CRAB DIMINISHED EVERYWHERE.

OR IS IT JUST IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE BAY?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

THANK YOU, SIR.

>> ALLEN, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

THE SURVEY THAT WE CONDUCT IN THE WINTER IS CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND SO OUR SUGGESTION IS THAT THE ABUNDANCE IS LOWER BAY WIDE, BUT INEVITABLY THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME AREAS THAT THAT ARE EXPERIENCING LOWER ABUNDANCE THAN OTHER AREAS.

THERE WILL BE SOME LOCAL HOTSPOTS.

ANOTHER QUESTION I THINK WORTH ASKING IS WHETHER THE BLUE CRAB ABUNDANCE IS DOWN COAST WIDE BECAUSE, REMEMBER, BLUE CRAB AREN'T RESTRICTED JUST TO CHESAPEAKE BAY BUT THEY OCCUR IN BASTE AND ESTUARIES UP AND DOWN THE ATLANTIC COAST, IN PACT, INTO THE GULF COAST, SO ONE OF THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS WE'RE ADDRESSING AT THE MOMENT IS TO ASK IS THIS DECLINE JUST A CHESAPEAKE BAY CONCERN OR IS IT A MORE BROAD COASTAL CONCERN.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING OUT TO A CRAB HOUSE THIS TIME OF YEAR MIGHT BE DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT THE CRABS WERE BROUGHT IN FROM THE CAROLINA OR THE GULF COAST.

BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.

YOU'VE SEQUENCED THE GENOME, ARE THEY DIFFERENT?

>> SO WE CAN DETECT CRABS FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO AS DIFFERENT FROM THE CRABS IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

BUT AS YOU GET TO FINER DISTANCES, IT BECOMES A REAL CHALLENGE TO DEFECT CRABS AS DIFFERENT FROM THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TO COMPARE DELAWARE BAY OR THE NORTH CAROLINA SOUNDS BECAUSE CRABS ARE HIGHLY DIVERSE GENETICALLY.

ONE OF THE SURPRISING THINGS THAT WE FOUND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

>> HERE'S A VIEWER QUESTION FROM MARY WHO SAYS, "I HEAR THERE'S A LARGE DEMAND IN MARKET FOR FEMALES AND THEIR EGGS.

WHAT IMPACTS WOULD THAT HAVE ON CRAB NUMBERS, TO WHAT EXTENT IS THERE CONTROL OF THE SALE OF THE EGGS?"

I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A MARKET FOR THE EX EGGS.

>> NO.

SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S CORRECT.

THE MOST RECENT MANAGEMENT APPROACH HAS BEEN TO TRY AND BAN THE HARVEST OF FEMALES THAT ARE BEARING EGGS.

IT'S ILLEGAL IN ALL OF THE JURISDICTIONS.

AND WE ARE FOCUSED ON CONSERVING FEMALES FROM THE LATE AUTUMN THROUGHOUT THE WINTER INTO THE EARLY -- LATE SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER WHEN THOSE FEMALES WILL BE REPRODUCING DOWN AT THE MOUTH OF THE BAY.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE AND SOME CULTURES THAT PREFER FEMALES JUST ON A TASTE BASIS TO MALES.

CERTAINLY I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE WHO WILL ARGUE THAT FEMALE CRAB SOUP IS FAR BETTER THAN IF IT'S MADE WITH MALES.

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A MARKET PARTICULARLY FOR THE SPONGES, WHICH ARE THE ORANGE TO BLACK COLORED EGG MASSES ON THE ABDOMEN OF THE FEMALE CRABS.

>> NOT THE CAVIAR OF THE CHESAPEAKE, I GUESS.

I HAD NEVER HEARD THAT.

>> NO.

>> PHONE CALL FROM WASHINGTON COUNTY.

THIS IS FRED.

FRED, THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

GO AHEAD.

FRED, SIR, YOUR QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S MOVE ON.

WE'VE HEARD THERE'S THESE ANNUAL STUDIES GIVING A REPORT CARD ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE BAY GRASSES, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF FOOTAGE.

IT'S REALLY COOL.

A YOUNG CRAB, PARTICULARLY ONE THAT'S MOTELLING WEEK HIDING OUT IN THE GRASSES.

THE GRASSES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BACK TO SOME EXTENT.

HOW DOES THAT EFFECT HOSPITALLATION OF CRABS?

POPULATION OF CRABS?

>> SO I THINK IT IS COMMONLY BELIEVED THAT YOUNG CRABS PARTICULARLY FAVOR GRASS HABITAT BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, THEY MOLT, AND WHEN THEY'RE IN THAT SOFT SHELL PHASE, THEY REALLY ARE INCAPABLE OF MOVING, UNLIKE US AS HUMANS WHO HAVE OUR MUSCLES OUTFITS OUTSIDE OF OUR BONES AND SO WE STILL HAVE AN ANCHOR POINT TO MOVE OUR ARMS AND LIMBS.

CRABS HAVE THEIR MUSCLES INSIDE THEIR SKELETON AND WHEN THEY ARE HEARD SKELETON IS SOFT, THEY'RE COMPLETELY INCAPABLE OF MOVING, SO WHEN THEY'RE IN THAT STAGE, CRABS DO GO AND HIDE IN PLACES WHERE THEY'RE RELATIVELY SAFE, AND GRASS BEDS OF ONE OF THOSE HABITATS.

BUT NOT THE ONLY HABITAT THEY HIDE IN.

THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THEY HIDE IN WOODY DEBRIS IN THE FRESHER PARTS OF THE CHESAPEAKE.

THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THEY HIDE IN SOME OF THE INVASIVE ALGAE SPECIES HAR MORE COMMON THE IN LOWER PART OF THE BAY.

SO I THINK IT'S A COMPLEX QUESTION AS TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ABUNDANCE OF GRASS AND ANY DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO THE ABUNDANCE OF CRABS.

>> TOM, DO I REMEMBER THAT MAYBE A DECADE AGO, AND MAYBE RELATED TO THE GENETIC PROJECT, THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO TRY TO BE ABLE TO STOCK THE BAY WITH BABY CRABS, TO BE ABLE TO START THEIR LIFE STIEBLG IN A LABORATORY -- CYCLE IN A LABORATORY AND BECOME DISPERSED ACROSS THE PAWRT SHED.

DID ANYTHING EVER COME OF THAT?

>> YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD MEMORY, JEFF.

THAT WAS A PROJECT LED BY COLLEAGUES OF OURS IN THE INNER HARBOR IN BALTIMORE AT THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, AND A DIRECT OUTGROWTH OF THAT WORK WAS THE ADVANCE IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENETICS OF BLUE CRABS.

IN TERMS OF DEMONSTRATING WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD ENHANCE THE STOCK OF BLUE CRABS, I THINK THE QUESTION IS STILL VERY MUCH OPEN.

AND RATIONALE AGAIN GOES BACK TO THIS FACT THAT A FEMALE BLUE CRAB CAN HAVE THREE TO 5 MILLION OFF-DISCIPLINING EVERY TIME SHE REDID OFFSPRING EVERY TIME SHE REPRODUCES, SHE REPRODUCES THREE ON FIVE TIMES IN HER LIFESPAN, SO SIMPLY TO RAISE THE CAPACITY THAT NUMBER OF OFFSPRING TO MAKE A MEASURABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE ABUNDANCE OF CRABS IN THE BAY SEEM TO BE AN INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEM, BUT MY COLLEAGUES DESERVE CONSIDERABLE CREDIT FOR THE INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY GAINED OVER THE COMPLETE LIFE CYCLE OF THE BLUE CRAB, AND AS A SAID, THE ADVANCES IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENETICS THAT STAND DIRECTLY -- STEM DIRECTLY FROM THAT PROJECT IS REALLY TO BE LAUDED.

>> LET'S TAKE A PHONE CALL FROM CARROLL COUNTY.

LET'S NOT.

CALL US BACK FROM CARROLL COUNTY.

HERE'S AN EMAIL QUESTION.

JEFF WANTS TO KNOW,, "I HEARD THE FEMALE CRABS ONLY PRODUCE EGGS ONE TIME.

THEREFORE, HARVESTING FEMALES IS NOT A BIG DEAL.

IS THAT TRUE?"

>> SO FEMALES, WE BELIEVE, ONLY MATE ONCE ONE TIME, ALTHOUGH THERE'S SOME EVIDENCE THAT EVEN THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE, BUT THE TRADITIONAL VIEW IS THAT FEMALES MATE ONCE IN THIS FINAL MOLT THAT SHE GOES THROUGH.

AT THAT STAGE THE MALE CRADLES HER TO PROTECT HER WHILE SHE'S IN SOFT SHELL STAGE.

IT'S ONLY THEN THAT SHE IS RECEPTIVE TO SPERM BEING TRANSFERRED, AND THE MALE TRANSFERS SPERM IN PACKETS, AND THAT SPERM IS SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE MULTIPLE BROODSCH EGGS.

SO EVEN THOUGH SHE ONLY MATES ONCE OR MOST CRABS ONLY MATE ONCE, THEY DO PRODUCE MULTIPLE BROODS OF EGGS OVER TWO TO THREE YEARS IF WE DON'T HARVEST THEM.

SO I THINK THERE ISED GOO REASON TO FOCUS ON THE CONSERVATION OF FEMALE CRABS IN OUR MANAGEMENT.

IT'S SORT OF THE KINDERGARTEN LEVEL ANSWER THAT IF YOU WANT MORE BABIES, PROTECT THE MOMMIES, AND THAT'S WHAT MANAGEMENT HAS TRIED TO DO OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS OR SO.

>> WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN OTHER FISHERIES IN THE CHESAPEAKE?

>> IN SOME CASES THERE'S GOOD NEWS.

IN OTHER CASES THERE ARE REMAINING CONCERNS.

THERE REMAIN CONCERNS OVER THE ABUNDANCE OF STRIPED BASS, OF ROCKFISH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN SOME OF THE DRUMS, THE CROAKER AND SPOT, SO AS ALWAYS WITH AN ESTUARIAN SYSTEM, THERE ARE ALWAYS WINNERS AND LOSERS ANY PARTICULAR YEAR.

SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WE THINK WE UNDERSTAND AS A RESULT OF OVERFISHING.

MANY OF THOSE VARIATIONS CONTINUE TO PERPLEX US, AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE FOUND MY CAREER TO BE SO INTERESTING.

>> BEFORE WE GO, SHOULD PEOPLE HAVING A CRAB FEAST FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT?

>> I THINK THE CRAB MIGHT SAY THEY SHOULD, BUT FROM A FISHERY SCIENTIST'S POINT OF VIEW, THERE'S STILL 226 MILLION CRABS IN THE CHESAPEAKE.

IT'S NOT THAT THEY ARE IN ENDANGERED FROM A BIOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW.

>> WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

SOLOMON'S ISLAND, DR. MILLER.

NOW BETWEEN MARYLAND AND SHT WA DC, HUNDREDS OF CASES OF THE MONKEYPOX VIRUS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH AHMED DEER CHASE BREXTON HEALTH CARE.

AHMED, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

CHASE BREXTON SERVES THE FULL COMMUNITY BUT WITH A LEG LEGACY GOING BACK DECADE OF SERVING THE GAY COMMUNITY BACK TO THE ORIGINS OF THE AIDS CRISIS.

I'M CURIOUS, AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TALK WITH, WHAT'S THE LEVEL CONCERN ABOUT THIS MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JEFF.

SO I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONCERN AMONG THE COMMUNITY, IT IS FAIR FAIR TO SAY THAT PEOPLE ARE QUITE CONCERNED.

OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU KNOW, WE SERVE GREATLY OR LGBTQ POPULATING BUT ALSO PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.

EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED.

AND CONCERN IS VALID, I THINK, BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING CASES ALL OVER IN TERMS OF THE PATIENT POPULATIONS, NOT JUST ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

>> AND AT CHASE BRECKTON YOU'VE SEEN CASES AND ACROSS ALL POPULATIONS.

>> CORRECT.

WE HAVE SEEN A FEW CASES NOW WHERE PERSONS NOT FROM, YOU KNOW, LGBTQ, EITHER LIKE MOST OF THE NEWS MEDIA IS SHOWING THAT IT'S THE CASES ARE DISPROARLT INCREASINGLY HIGH IN THE -- DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH IN THE GAY COMMUNITY OR THE BISEXUAL, BUT AT LAS AT CHASE BREXTON WEAVE SEEN A VA REVITALIZE PEOPLE BEING INFECTED WITH THIS VIRUS.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VIRUS ITSELF.

WHAT ARE THE BASICS?

EVERYBODY BY NOW HAS SEEN PICTURES OF THE SORES OR BLISTERS, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE THING.

>> CORRECT.

SO THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM OF THE VIRUS WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS A RASH THAT LOUKS A PIMPLE OR A BLISTER THAT CAN APPEAR ANYWHERE ON FACE, INSIDE OF THE MOUTH, ON OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY LIKE HANDS AND FEET, GENITALS, PENUS, ANUS, BUT ALSO MORE COMMONLY IT PRESENTS WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS WHICH CAN HAPPEN RIGHT FOLLOWING THE RASH, REALLY.

OTHERS MAY EXPERIENCE A RASH FIRST FOLLOWED BY OTHER SYMPTOMS, WHILE SOME PEOPLE ARE ONLY EXPERIENCING THE RASH AT THE MOMENT.

>> EVERYBODY IN MEDICINE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE THESE DAYS WITH INFECTION CONTROL.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMEBODY'S IN AN EXAM ROOM AND MAYBE THEY'RE AT THE PHASE WHERE THEY JUST HAVE THE FEVER BUT YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH ISOLATING THEM, PROTECTING YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND OTHER PEOPLE SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM?

>> SO WE HAVE DONE REALLY WELL, YOU KNOW, STARTING FROM THE COVID PANDEMIC IN TERMS OF ISOLATION, QUARANTINING, SO ANY PERSON THAT WALKS IN, INTO THE CLINIC GETS SCREENED FOR COVID AND NOW FOR MONKEYPOX, WHICH COVID ALSO PRESENTS WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS, SO ANYBODY WITH FEVER, RASH, ANY FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS, THEY GET -- WE HAVE ROOMS JUST FOCUSED ON THAT WHERE WE CAN ISOLATE PEOPLE, WE CAN CLOSE THE ROOM FOR TWO HOURS AFTER SEEING THE PATIENT, SO IT'S -- I FEEL LUBE WE ARE NOW -- LIKE WE ARE NOW A WELL-OILED MACHINE IN TERMS OF INFECTION CONTROL IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND WE HAVE ESTABLISHED DESIGNATED SPACES, AND WE HAVE PROPER PPE FOR PROVIDERS WHO ARE SEEING THESE PATIENTS IN THE ROOM AS WE'RE TAKING PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PRECAUTIONS AS WE WERE WITH COVID.

>> THERE'S A TEST, BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE POINT WHERE THERE'S A TEST YOU CAN BUY AT THE DRUGSTORE, RIGHT?

SO WHAT DO YOU DO IN AN OFFICE SETTING?

>> SO IN AN OFFICE SETTING WE HAVE TESTS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED BY LABORATORIES, FOR EXAMPLE, DIAGNOSTIC LABS, AND THEN WE SCREEN PATIENTS.

WE USE THE SWAB OF THE LESIONS TO THE LABORATORY FOR TESTING.

>> HOW EASILY IS THIS SPREAD N. WE LEAR CONCERNS.

DIRECT, PHYSICAL CONTACT BUT ALSO THROUGH POTENTIALLY A TOWEL OR BEDDING, MAYBE SURFACES?

>> YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

SO FIRST TO START OFF, YOU KNOW, THAT MONKEYPOX DOES NOT SPREAD EASILY.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A PROLONGED CONTACT, AN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO IS INFECTED WITH MONKEYPOX.

THE THE VIRUS CAN SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON THROUGH DIRECT CONTACT WHEN THEY HAVE AN INFECTIOUS RASH OR A SCRAB OR THROUGH BODILY FLUIDS, EVEN WITH KISSING, SO THAT'S WHY MONKEYPOX WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE AMONG WHO GETS IT.

LIKE I SAID, IT SPREADS BY RESPIRATORY SECRETIONS, DURING FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT, DURING INTEREST MIT XIANG IN ADDITION IT CAN ALSO SPREAD FROM PREGNANT PEOPLE TO THEIR FETUS THROUGH THE PLACENTA.

SO TOUCHING ITEMS SUCH AS CLOTHING AND LINENS.

OTHER THINGS, TOO,, YOU KNOW, BE COGNIZANT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO THE MALL, TRYING ON CLOTHES, BEING VERY CAREFUL, WE DO NOT KNOW WHO IS TRYING THE CLOTHES BEFORE YOU, SO ANYTHING THAT COMES WITH TOUCHING, WITH POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH THE RASHES IS -- IT'S FAIRLY RISKY.

>> SO MAYBE WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE BACK TO WHEARG THOSE PLASTIC GLOVES FROM THE -- WEARING THOSE PLACKET GLOVES THE FROM BEGINNING OF THE COVID OUTBREAK.

I HAVE TO ASKS AN EXPERT IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, SIT A LITTLE BIT DISPIRITING THAT AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW THE COVID PANDEMIC, WE SEE THESE NEW VARIANTS FLYING AROUND THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, AS IF THERE ARE NO BORDERS AT ALL, AND MONKEYPOX QUICKLY HAS GOTTEN ESTABLISHED.

I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO GO AWAY NEXT WEEK.

IT'S JUST -- IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO CONTROL ANYTHING.

AND DOES THIS ONE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME ENDEMIC, AS THEY SAY?

>> SO VIRUSES ARE -- THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF VIRUSES, RIGHT?

THEY SPREAD.

THERE ARE NO VOTERS WHEN IT COMES TO INFECTION, ESPECIALLY VIRUSES AND WHEN THINGS SPREAD LIKE THIS, AND WE HAVE LEARNED THIS FROM PREVIOUS PANDEMIC.

YEARS AND YEARS AGO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH VAR SELA, MUMPS, RUBELLA, THINGS LIKE THAT AND SMALLPOX.

AND WITH THESE VIRUSES, WE HOPE THAT AFTER INFECTION, FOR EXAMPLE WITH LIKE WITH COVID, THAT PEOPLE DEVELOP SOME SORT OF IMMUNITY AGAINST IT.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S TOO EARLY WITH THIS OUTBREAK RIGHT NOW TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

TESTING IS UNDERWAY.

SURVEILLANCE IS UNDERWAY.

BUT IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY WHEN IT WILL BECOME ENDEMIC OR IF IT WILL BECOME ENDEMIC, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT VIRUSES, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SORT OF WE EXPECT.

>> THERE IS A VACCINE, THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF IT.

I THINK IT'S THROUGH HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE, A SITUATION WHERE MAYBE A CLOSE CONTACT OF A PATIENT WHO HAS IT NEEDS TO GET VACCINATED, AND APPARENTLY YOU CAN GET VACCINATED POST EXPOSURE, ARE YOU ABLE TO GET THEM A VACCINE?

>> SO CURRENTLY IN MARYLAND SPECIFICALLY BALTIMORE CITY YOU HAVE A VERY LIMITED SUPPLY OF THE VACCINE.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF VACCINE.

ONE IS BEING GIVEN PREFERENCE DUE TO MANY REASONS, SAFETY REASONS.

AND WE WERE GIVEN A VERY SMALL BATCH OF VACCINES, WHICH WAS SOLELY CONTROLLED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE BEGINNING, AND SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE OUR PATIENTS.

THEY SORT OF WENT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND SIGNED PEOPLE UP AND GAVE THEM AT CHASE BREX FON.

BUT I THINK IN THE COMING WEEKS AS MORE VACCINATIONS BECOME AVAILABLE, I SEE THE CDC SCRAMBLING TO GET THE VACCINATIONS OUT THERE IN EVER STATE, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT'S MORE OF A PROBLEM.

WE HOPE THAT AS PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED OR GETTING INFECTED TO GIVE THEM VACCINATION IMMEDIATELY, PREFERABLY WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF INFECTION, TO REALLY BLUNT THE IERL VIRAL ACTIVITY.

>> ARE PENAL WITH HIV OR OTHER IMMUNE ISSUES MORE AT RISK OR MORE AT RISK OF SERIOUS ILLNESS?

>> FROM THE CURRENT DATA AVAILABLE, ACCORDING TO CDC, PEOPLE WITH BACKE WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE POSSIBLY AT INCREASED RISK FOR ACQUISITION OF MONKEYPOX VIRUS.

>> FINALLY, WHAT'S THE MAIN THING YOU WANT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES YOU SERVE, THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO KNOW ABOUT THIS STILL RELATIVELY SMALL OUTBREAK?

>> WELL, I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BIG THING IS PREVENTION, RIGHT?

WITH COVID WE HAVE LEARNED THAT.

WE PROBABLY GOT WE CALL IT COVID FATIGUE OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, REALLY MASKING OR CLEANING HANDS ALL THE TIME, CLEANING YOUR GYM EQUIPMENT.

I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT PREVENTION IS KEY IN ANY OUTBREAK, AND MONKEYPOX IS NO DIFFERENT, SO REALLY MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PRACTICING GOOD HYGIENE, WEARING MASKS IN CROWDED SPACES, AND REALLY AVOIDING ANY INTIMATE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE YOU DO NOT KNOW.

AND ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING TO MALLS, NOT TRYING CLOTHES, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE ARE THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES WE CAN TAKE NOW TO CONTAIN THIS VIRUS, AND REALLY IF SOMEBODY IS INFECTED, HAS SYMPTOMS, REACH OUT TO YOUR PROVIDERS.

WE WANT TO SEE YOU.

WE WANT TO TEST YOU.

SO WE CAN ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, THE INFECTION APPROPRIATELY.

WE CAN ALSO REFER PATIENTS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF SOMEBODY IS EXPRESSED PROCEEDED OSH INFECT FOR A POSSIBLE VACCINATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT LIL MORE CONTROL OVER VACCINATIONS AT THE MOMENT.

>> A MAD DEER OF CHASE EX WERETON HEALTH CARE, THATDISH SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" THE AND LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

GIANT US FRIDAY EVENING A 7:00.

DO REMEMBER TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MPTNEWS.

AND NOW FOR ALL OF US AT MPT, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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