On Aug. 4, the Biden administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency as cases rise across the country.

The first monkeypox case in this years outbreak in the United States was reported in Massachusetts in May . Since then, the U.S. has had more than 9,400 reported cases and counting. There are still unknowns about the virus, but it is said to spread through prolonged skin-to-skin contact and results in a bumpy rash that turns into painful, scabby lesions.

But what does declaring monkeypox as a public health emergency actually mean? Here, experts share what to know and how this may affect you.

A public health emergency declaration usually comes when a virus or disease is a threat to the public.

According to Dr. Josh Sharfstein , vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, monkeypox was declared a public health emergency because it is a new infectious disease to this country thats been spreading pretty quickly.

A public health emergency is typically called when large swaths of people are affected by an issue, causing a need for a government response. Previous declarations were made for the opioid crisis, H1N1 (also known as swine flu) and COVID-19.

The government response can make certain tools more readily available.

All emergency declarations allow governments access to money, personnel and other resources to best manage the emergency, explained Dr. Paulette Grey Riveria , a family medicine physician with PlushCare and regional medical director for the Louisiana Department of Health.

According to Sharfstein, now that monkeypox has been declared a public health emergency, agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services have access to additional (yet limited) funds, and the Food and Drug Administration can make treatments, such as vaccines, more easily available. (Though its worth noting that monkeypox vaccine supply in the U.S. is currently very low .)

Additionally, Riveria noted that this declaration could mean more personal protective equipment or emergency medical help can be deployed in areas that are highly affected by monkeypox. She added that, in general, a public health emergency lasts for 90 days (though it can be extended). During this time, these additional resources are available for the governments use and distribution.