With monkeypox cases on the rise and vaccine doses in scarce supply, President Biden’s health secretary suggested on Thursday that states and localities bear some of the responsibility for what critics have called a flawed response.

“We don’t control public health in the 50 states, in the territories and in the tribal jurisdictions,” said Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services, in response to a reporter’s question about whether the virus could be eliminated. “We rely on our partnership to work with them. They need to work with us.”

Still speaking of the states, he added, “They are ultimately the ones to determine how health care is administered in their jurisdictions.”