California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday declared a statewide public health emergency on Monday in order to support the government’s response to the rapid spread of monkeypox. The emergency declaration is designed to cut through red tape, according to a statement from Newsom’s office, which added: “We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization.” More than 780 cases have been reported statewide; the declaration comes after similar declarations were made in San Francisco last Thursday, and in New York state over the weekend. California has administered 25,000 doses of the vaccine, with plans in place to distribute further doses in the near future, according to the governor’s office.