Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
State and local health departments across the United States are expressing significant concerns over potential disruptions to staffing, disease outbreak response, and critical nutrition services following the federal government shutdown that began on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. The shutdown occurred after a deadlocked Congress and President Trump failed to reach a funding agreement, leaving public health agencies bracing for impacts during respiratory virus and hurricane seasons.
Federal Agency Impact
The shutdown is anticipated to affect the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s ability to identify and respond to outbreaks. Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services, indicated that the CDC would maintain minimal capacity for urgent disease threats in areas such as food safety, healthcare quality, and vector-borne diseases.
Nixon further stated that data collection and reporting, crucial for tracking and preventing respiratory virus diseases, would be interfered with. Critical partners, including public health departments, may not receive necessary guidance or up-to-date technical information, hindering disease prevention activities.
Local Health Department Challenges
Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, warned that local health departments might eventually lose federal resources and funding. Federal funds constitute a significant portion of state and local health department budgets, often covering staff salaries.
With only about 36% of CDC staff deemed essential, the shutdown compounds existing reductions in federal public health employees. This creates gaps in the ability of local departments to communicate with the federal government on critical health situations, particularly during ongoing measles and Ebola outbreaks, mpox virus traces in wastewater, and an active hurricane season.
Impact on Nutrition and Staffing
In Washington state, the Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring the situation, with spokesperson Shelby Anderson noting that approximately 50 DOH employees may face temporary layoffs or reduced hours due to reliance on federal funding. Many of these positions are within the Office of Nutrition Services, which manages the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
The WIC program provides food and nutrition support to over 212,000 Washington residents annually. Brittany Tybo, director of the Office of Nutrition Services, emphasized that the shutdown poses a “very real impact on families and communities,” risking essential benefits that reduce infant deaths and improve child growth.
Vaccine Policy and Distribution
The shutdown also raises questions about vaccine policy implementation. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently recommended key changes to Covid-19 vaccine policies, but these recommendations await final sign-off by Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill. Adriane Casalotti of the National Association of County and City Health Officials noted that furloughed staff could delay clarity on vaccine policy questions.
While the Vaccines for Children program, which provides vaccines to low-income children, is expected to continue due to mandatory funding, the distribution of new Covid-19 shots under this program is contingent upon the acting director’s sign-off. This delay could impact uninsured families or those on Medicaid eligible for the program.
Despite past shutdowns causing minimal disruption to vaccine rollouts, Brent Ewig of the Association of Immunization Managers highlighted concerns about states’ ability to reach CDC project officers for routine matters. Some states, like Utah, anticipate minimal service interruptions, while Georgia expects immunizations to proceed unaffected, though it is assessing impacts on other programs like WIC.
Ongoing Vulnerability
The federal government shutdown presents a significant challenge to the nation’s public health infrastructure, exacerbating existing staffing shortages and threatening essential services. While certain programs, such as the Vaccines for Children initiative, are expected to continue, the overall disruption to federal-state-local coordination creates vulnerabilities during a critical period for public health.
