Federal Funding Cuts Disrupt Vaccine Clinics Amid Measles Outbreaks

KFF Health News (4/9, Sable-Smith, Zionts, Fortiér) reports that “immunization efforts across the country were upended after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly canceled $11.4 billion in covid-related funds for state and local health departments in late March.” Although a federal judge “temporarily blocked the cuts last week,” many of the organizations say they must proceed as the funding is gone, “raising concerns amid a resurgence of measles, a rise in vaccine hesitancy, and growing distrust of public health agencies.” In one example, officials in Pima County, Arizona, had to cancel about 20 vaccine events offering COVID-19 and flu shots after learning “the federal government took away its remaining $1 million in grant money.” The county had used the funds “to offer free vaccines in mostly rural areas, usually on the weekends or after usual work hours on weekdays.”