It’s always odd in Philadelphia — especially when it comes to crime. This is particularly true with a district attorney who seemingly prioritizes protecting criminals over civilians in recent years. Even so, it is particularly odd that Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health announced that sex workers are eligible to receive the monkeypox vaccine. This is concerning because there has been a limited supply of vaccine dosages. Even more concerning: Sex work is illegal in Philadelphia.
Under Pennsylvania state law, prostitution itself, promoting prostitution of adults and minors, living off prostitutes, and patronizing prostitutes are all illegal. Punishments typically are misdemeanor charges, the severity of which depends on whether it was a person’s first offense or not. Those who are caught promoting prostitution of a minor are charged with a “felony of the third degree.”
Granted, since District Attorney Larry Krasner was elected, prostitution cases have dramatically fallen. This isn’t because there is suddenly a lack of sex workers throughout the city. It is the result of Krasner’s policy of not charging criminals with crimes or holding them accountable for breaking the law. The crimes still exist — it’s the justice that’s disappeared.
The new vaccine eligibility was the result of lobbying by activist groups and sex workers, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It was so urgent for me,” Madeline Layne, a 42-year-old Philadelphia prostitute, told the Inquirer. “I woke up in the middle of the night having a panic attack because I was so stressed about this. I can’t really work until I get the vaccine.”
I empathize with Layne, I really do. However, she is still breaking the law. And, as a 42-year-old, she had plenty of time to choose a profession that wasn’t a criminal act. She should not be relying on the government to bail her out because of her own decision to engage in prostitution.
The Biden administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency on Aug. 4. As the Washington Examiner previously reported, one of the main reasons for this was so the administration could have greater powers to help mitigate the disease through vaccine distribution and contracting with private companies. Given this emergency, and with vaccine supply at low levels, the city should be saving the vaccine for those most vulnerable to monkeypox that are not engaging in professions that violate the law.
