Slashed Federal Funding Closes Vaccine Clinics

The Trump Administration has halted $11.4 billion in CDC funding to clinics offering vaccination programs in local and rural communities. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defended the cuts, stating, “HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago.”

What the statement ignores: these clinics provide more than COVID vaccines. They also fight preventable diseases like flu, mpox, and measles—despite a current U.S. measles outbreak with over 500 confirmed cases.

In Pima County, the impact is already being felt. A $1 million grant, already awarded, was pulled without warning, forcing officials to cancel 20 vaccine clinics across southern Arizona, including Tucson, the Tohono O’odham Nation, and Vail.

These clinics offer more than vaccines. They offer health education and act as critical links between rural residents and public health systems, helping build community trust.

Although a judge has temporarily blocked the cuts, local leaders know the funds likely won’t return. The long-term effects are unclear, but one thing is certain: more people will get sick from preventable diseases.

Is this really how we make America healthy again?

Note: More information can be found at  https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/10/nx-s1-5357471/measles-outbreak-hhs-federal-budget-cuts-vaccine-clinics