“Shame”
Overall, the lack of updated data may make it more difficult, if not impossible, for federal and state health officials to identify emerging outbreaks and respond rapidly. It may also prevent the identification of communities or demographics that may benefit most from targeted vaccination outreach.
In an accompanying editorial, Gene Marrazzo, CEO of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, expressed the concern in stark terms, writing: “The evidence is devastating: The administration’s anti-vaccine stance has disrupted the reliable flow of data needed to keep Americans safe from preventable infections. The consequences will be dire.”
The study authors say the unexplained disruptions could be directly targeted by the administration’s vaccine-related data collection — or they could be an indirect result of the crackdown imposed on the CDC by the Kennedy and Trump administrations, which included brutal budget and staffing cuts. But Marrazzo argues that the exact mechanism doesn’t matter.
She writes, “Either pathos reflects a deep disregard for human life, scientific progress, and the dedication of the public health workforce that has provided a protective shield against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.”
Marrazzo emphasizes that the lack of current data not only hinders outbreak response efforts, but also helps the Secretary of Health realize her vision for the CDC.
Kennedy, “who has stated unequivocally that the CDC has failed to protect Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now making a self-fulfilling prophecy. The CDC as it currently exists is no longer the robust, reliable source of public health data that has set the global standard for rigorous public health practice for decades.”
Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Emily Hilliard sent a statement to Ars Technica, saying: “Changes to individual dashboards or update schedules reflect routine data quality and system management decisions, not political direction. Under this administration, public health data reporting is driven by scientific integrity, transparency, and accuracy.”
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