Last week, the U.S declared the growing monkeypox outbreak a national health emergency, signifying that the virus now represents a significant risk to Americans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of Aug. 18, 2022, there are a total of 39,110 cases globally, including 12 deaths. The WHO Director-General declared this outbreak a public health emergency of international concern and issued temporary recommendations in relation to the outbreak.

Supplies of the monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos, have been severely constrained. Vaccination against smallpox was demonstrated through several observational studies to be about 85 percent effective in preventing monkeypox. Raising awareness of risk factors and educating people about measures that reduce exposure to monkeypox are the main prevention strategies being employed right now.

In echoes of the early COVID-19 response, tests and vaccines have been difficult to obtain and it has been a challenge to identify an accurate number of cases. In 2021, Aon launched a vaccine supply-chain solution to provide protection for global COVID-19 vaccine shipments, which helped maximize the number of doses administered to the public. Aon also contributed to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, administered by the WHO Foundation and the United Nations Foundation in support of the World Health Organization. Listen to episode 5 of the “On Aon” podcast to hear more.

During catastrophic events, all parts of an organization can be impacted. As business leaders seek to quickly respond to unfolding crises, they must also make decisions about next steps in a fluid and uncertain environment where the longer-term horizon is still evolving.

Aon and Pentland Analytics released “Respecting the Grey Swan,” a report detailing the impact crises have on reputation and shareholder value, and emphasizing the need for organizations to recalibrate their approach to risk and crisis in a highly volatile world. “Today, clients are justifiably focused on the unprecedented socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they are also increasingly aware of other challenges like climate change, supply chain disruption, reimaging and reconfiguring how and where work gets done and the growing health-wealth gap,” said Greg Case, CEO of Aon. “If, and when, a reputation crisis occurs, this research reinforces the importance of promptly acknowledging the seriousness of the event itself, and more importantly, how to translate this understanding into decisive action.” Read more about the report here.