April 24, 2025
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IDPH: Trump administration slashes funding used to track for infectious diseases

CDC rescinds $125 million in public health investments; blocked $324 million in pledged future federal support

By Kevin Newberry
FILE - This March 6, 2020, file photo, shows the headquarters for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The nation’s top health agency is expected to backpedal on its masking guidelines and recommend that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging, according to a federal official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to release the data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to make an announcement Tuesday, July 27, 2021. (AP Photo/ Ron Harris, File)

FILE - This March 6, 2020, file photo, shows the headquarters for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. (Ron Harris/AP)

The Illinois Department of Public Health said in a news release it has been notified that the Trump administration will terminate federal grants nationwide that had already been awarded to support ongoing work to protect the public from infectious diseases like avian flu and measles.

The termination pulls back $125 million in funding for IDPH and 97 local public health departments, which IDPH had allocated for the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infection Disease program, according to a news release.

The funding was awarded to Illinois through 14 separate budget lines in the federal bipartisan CARES Act, according to IDPH. In addition to rescinding $125 million in previously approved investments, the Trump administration is also blocking $324 million for future work to prevent and treat infectious diseases in Illinois, IDPH says. As originally passed, the bill would have provided up to $449 million in direct, long-term support for the state’s disease surveillance and vaccination activities.

IDPH allocated the targeted funds for technology to track the spread of diseases, investments in labs to test samples for infectious diseases, surveillance of wastewater, building the public workforce and strengthening local health departments.

“This decision to terminate already awarded federal funding will cause immeasurable harm and disruption to the health and safety of the people of Illinois and generate larger expenses in the longer run,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release. “The State of Illinois will do everything in our power to restore this vital federal funding and continue to invest in common-sense public health solutions to keep our state safe and healthy.”

“While IDPH has been preparing for anticipated federal budget cuts, the termination of this awarded funding will have a debilitating impact on our efforts to protect the health of Illinoisans,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a news release. “If allowed to stand, this funding cut will set back critical upgrades to our public health labs, technology used to track infectious diseases like H5N1 avian flu and measles, vaccination efforts, and our ongoing work to better prepare for the next public health emergency.”

The funding cut affects IDPH and 97 local health department operations not only in the current fiscal year ending June 30, but also into the next two state fiscal years, according to IDPH.

IllinoisIDPHDonald TrumpCDCJB PritzkerHealthHealth Care