A lack of updated data is making it harder for health officials in the US to respond quickly to new outbreaks. It also stops them from identifying communities that might need targeted vaccine efforts.
Jeanne Marrazzo, CEO of the Infectious Disease Society of America, said the US administration’s anti-vaccine stance has disrupted important data flow. She warned this could have serious consequences.
The study authors suggest that recent pauses in vaccine data collection might be due to the administration’s actions or possibly from budget and staff cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Marrazzo believes the exact cause is not important.
She argues that regardless of the cause, there is a clear lack of concern for human life and scientific progress. This affects the work of public health professionals who help fight diseases.
Marrazzo points out that missing data makes it harder to manage outbreaks and impacts efforts to improve the CDC. Kennedy, who criticized the CDC’s response to COVID-19, seems to be fulfilling his warning about its failure.
Emily Hilliard, from the Department of Health and Human Services, stated that changes to data updates are normal management decisions, not politically motivated. She said public health data reporting is based on scientific integrity and accuracy.
Vocabulary List:
- Outbreaks /ˈaʊt.breɪks/ (noun): A sudden increase in the occurrence of a disease in a particular time and place.
- Vaccine /vækˈsiːn/ (noun): A substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against diseases.
- Administration /ədˌmɪn.ɪˈstreɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The process or activity of running a business organization etc.
- Disrupted /dɪsˈrʌptɪd/ (verb): Interrupted or disturbed the normal progress or functioning of something.
- Targeted /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪd/ (adjective): Directed towards a specific goal or individual.
- Integrity /ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/ (noun): The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
