**”Vaccine Clinics Cancelled as Federal Funding Slashed Amid Measles Surge”**
Amid a surge in measles cases, more than a dozen vaccination clinics have been canceled in Pima County, Arizona. Additionally, a media campaign aimed at bringing low-income children in Washoe County, Nevada, up to date on their vaccinations has been halted. Planned clinics in Texas, Minnesota, Washington, and other locations have also been scrapped.
This disruption in immunization efforts stems from the sudden cancellation of $11.4 billion in Covid-related funds for state and local health departments by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in late March. While a federal judge has temporarily blocked the cuts, organizations that rely on these funds are proceeding as if they are gone, raising concerns about vaccine accessibility for vulnerable populations, a resurgence of measles, vaccine hesitancy, and diminishing trust in public health agencies.
Former U.S. surgeon general Jerome Adams expressed worry about the consequences of low vaccination rates, stating, “Without high vaccination rates, we are setting those populations and communities up for preventable harm.” Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services, which houses the CDC, cited the end of the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for the funding cuts.
The impact of these cancellations goes beyond vaccination rates, as clinics also serve as opportunities for health education, resource connections, and community trust-building. Theresa Cullen, director of the health department in Pima County, Arizona, highlighted the importance of these programs, especially in rural areas with limited access to healthcare facilities. The county’s vaccination events, which were funded by the now-cut grants, provided free vaccines in rural areas during weekends or after work hours.
Despite the temporary halt in funding cuts by the courts, the health department in Pima County has been forced to cancel scheduled vaccine events and is unable to plan new ones. The loss of funding has left county officials unable to honor commitments to local communities and has disrupted vital health services.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of these vaccine clinics poses a significant challenge to public health efforts in the face of increasing disease outbreaks and vaccine hesitancy.
“The state informed us that they issued a stop work order,” she explained. The full impact of the CDC budget cuts is still uncertain in many areas. Officials from the California Department of Public Health estimated that the termination of grants would lead to over $840 million in federal funding losses for the state, with $330 million allocated for virus monitoring, testing, childhood vaccines, and addressing health disparities. “We are currently assessing the effects of these actions,” stated Erica Pan, Director of the California Department of Public Health.
In Washoe County, Nevada, the sudden cuts in federal funding have resulted in the loss of two contract staffers responsible for organizing and promoting vaccination events, including mandatory back-to-school immunizations like measles. “Our core team can’t handle the workload alone,” mentioned Lisa Lottritz, division director for community and clinical health services at Northern Nevada Public Health. Initially planning to keep the contractors until June, the health district had to secure additional funds to retain them for a few more weeks, managing to pay them only through May.
Lottritz had to cancel a campaign focused on updating children’s vaccinations through government insurance. While vaccine events at the public health clinic will continue, they will be scaled down with reduced staff members. The outreach nurses providing vaccinations at various locations will discontinue their services in May due to funding constraints. “Our staff have multiple duties. They conduct compliance visits and manage our clinic, so we won’t have the resources for such events,” Lottritz explained.
The repercussions of these cancellations will be long-lasting, according to Chad Kingsley, district health officer for Northern Nevada Public Health. The decline in vaccinations may not be fully realized for years. “Our society lacks a collective memory of those diseases and their impact,” he noted.
In Missouri, concerns about measles are rising following the cancellation of a conference aimed at strengthening immunization efforts statewide due to the budget cuts. The Missouri Immunization Coalition, which had to let go of half its staff, is now seeking alternative funding to sustain its operations. “It’s incredibly unjust to make such cuts amidst a measles resurgence in the country,” stated Lynelle Phillips, president of the coalition’s board.
Dana Eby from the health department in New Madrid County, Missouri, had prepared to share strategies for building trust in vaccines in rural communities at the conference. Despite being part of the rural “Bootheel” region known for poor health outcomes, New Madrid boasts one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the state. Eby expressed concerns about the potential resurgence of measles in the future.
Former Surgeon General Adams, also scheduled to speak at the Missouri event, had planned to stress the importance of community collaboration and vaccination efforts.
The importance of protecting public health and preventing diseases was highlighted by the Surgeon General, who emphasized the urgency of the situation amidst a rise in measles cases in Texas and whooping cough cases and fatalities in Louisiana. He stressed the significance of maintaining high vaccination rates in the U.S. to prevent deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases. The article was originally featured on KFF Health News, a national newsroom dedicated to health journalism.
