Five years after the first Covid-19 stay-at-home order, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will pull back billions of dollars in pandemic spending from state and local public health departments, nonprofits and international partners, the Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.
HHS has confirmed with the Daily Caller News Foundation that grants and cooperation agreements identified by the CDC could cut by $11 billion. (Related: Trump announces new CDC nominations after the White House withdraws previous picks)
“The Covid-19 pandemic is over. HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars in response to a nonexistent pandemic that Americans have been moving for years.” Statement to NBC News. “HHS prioritizes funding projects that will deliver President Trump’s mission to address our chronic disease outbreak and bring America back to health.“
The Biden administration ended the Covid-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023, folding the emergency Covid-19 program into existing structures at that time.
According to an NBC report, grantees began receiving notifications on Monday and began receiving 30 days to adjust their spending.
Public health departments in three states confirmed the news with DCNF.
“We’ve seen a lot of trouble with our health,” said Joseph Wendelken, spokesman for the Rhode Island Department of Health. “The work funded by these grants is not just in response to Covid-19, but the CDC’s cause of ending these grants was the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are working very closely with the governor’s office and the Rhode Island Attorney General to explore all options to protect the funds that support critical work by the entire health department.”
NEW YORK, NY – April 19: Masks can be seen on the ground at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City on April 19, 2022. On Monday, a federal judge in Florida broke mask orders at airports and other public transport options as new Covid variants are rising in parts of the United States. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
“We are assessing the potential impact of funding changes,” said Chris Van Douzen, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Health.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is hoping that COVID-19 funding will decrease or be cancelled as the pandemic decreases,” ADPH spokesman Arrol Sheehan said in an email. “ADPH is already undergoing many staffing and budget adjustments to accommodate changes in funding. In light of today’s information, ADPH will continue to review its plans and take steps to protect and promote the health and well-being of Alabama residents.”
The Association of State and Territorial Health Bureaus and the National Association of County and City Health Bureaus could not immediately request comment.
Naccio employees who asked him to remain anonymous said Naccio’s leadership has warned staff about potential layoffs.
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