WASHINGTON – As the U.S. enters respiratory virus season, pediatricians and medical groups are stepping up to fill a communication gap regarding vaccinations left by limitations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), raising concerns about potential impacts on public health. The CDC’s ability to provide clear guidance has been hampered, in part, by restrictions on discussing past campaigns and the recent government shutdown which paused the publication of national flu trend data.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, formerly with the CDC, noted the agency “is not allowed to talk about that campaign, despite the fact that it had very clear messaging” regarding vaccines. He also observed a “concerted effort to limit communication around vaccines, specifically influenza,” even prior to the shutdown, anticipating a possibly lower uptake of flu vaccines due to existing “confusion around vaccines because of what’s happened with RFK jr.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is continuing to issue vaccination recommendations, and the American Lung Association launched a new educational campaign in October focused on respiratory vaccines. Healthcare providers are also proactively offering vaccinations, including the nasal-spray version for children two years and older, to address parental hesitancy.
Experts are concerned about potential severity this season,citing outbreaks in australia and a declared flu epidemic in Japan,tho acknowledging these are not definitive predictors for the U.S. The CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics currently anticipates a season similar to last year’s.
The lack of readily available, analyzed data from the CDC during the shutdown is also a concern. While states are reporting data, experts like Dr. Ben Rivers emphasize that raw “data” alone may not be sufficient for informed decision-making without the CDC’s analysis and context.
“There are very severe possible consequences for allowing our public health system to degrade,” Rivers warned, highlighting the importance of a robust public health infrastructure for effectively responding to respiratory virus seasons.
