A disease known as Monkeypox has arrived in the United States and has recently spread to Kansas. Many health specialists are concerned for the safety of the people of Kansas. This leaves some to wonder if this disease is as serious as it seems. 

This disease has affected many communities, but will it affect Olathe North? There are differing views on how we should be responding to the situation. Should the students, teachers, admin, and health professionals be worried about the spread reaching our school? 

According to the CDC, monkeypox originated in 1958 in monkeys and spread to humans for the first time in 1970. It spreads through contact like intimate touch and touching anything that had previously come in contact with monkeypox. Initially, the majority of cases prior to Africa had been linked back to international traveling to countries where the disease was frequently reported through animals that were imported. The newly found 2022 cases in the U.S were due to travel-associated cases. A sophomore at Olathe North, Jayla Brock, is concerned about the disease.

“I think it’s a big deal,” Jayla Brock said. She felt awareness “should be spread around more.”

Although there is concern for the disease, students don’t know much about Monkeypox. The information about this disease should be taken seriously and used to notify others. As of now a substantial amount of students are unaware of the concerns of this disease. Including junior Marlee McDonald.

“ I hadn’t heard of it until a couple weeks ago,” Marlee McDonald stated. “I think it is something to be cautious about, but I don’t think it’s going to turn into a pandemic like COVID-19 did.” 

Some see the disease as a concerning topic, but believe it does not hold as much danger as COVID-19 As monkeypox is not new, it may be easier to prevent an outbreak. Erica Gilliland, an English teacher at Olathe North, expresses her argument.

 “I wasn’t really that concerned,” Gilliland said. “I don’t think they’re going to do anything about it, I also don’t think it’s going to get that bad because there’s already a vaccine.”

    Even though this disease is being rediscovered, we already have medical treatment to keep more people and whole communities like ours safe. It will also be easier to keep it under control because we have experience with the recent disease COVID-19. 

“I think it has been blown out of proportion for drama in some areas,” junior Eli Madden said “In far away areas it’s crazy, but around us it’s not.”