Key federal reports tracking influenza, Covid-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have not been updated for nearly a month due to the ongoing government shutdown, creating significant gaps in national disease surveillance as respiratory virus activity picks up. This lapse leaves local health departments, hospitals, and the public without crucial data to anticipate and respond to potential outbreaks during the peak season.
The shutdown has halted updates to several critical surveillance systems, including the CDC’s FluView, which provides weekly influenza data, and RESP-NET, which tracks hospitalizations for Covid-19, flu, and RSV. The general Respiratory Illness Data Channel, offering insights from wastewater surveillance and emergency department visits, was last updated on September 26, just before the shutdown began. At that time, flu and RSV were already showing signs of increasing activity, and Covid-19 levels remained elevated, highlighting the timeliness of the data gap.
Experts warn that the lack of coordinated national assessment impairs the ability to track virus trends and prepare adequately. Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins, noted that during a shutdown, only reports protecting from imminent loss of life are updated, which excludes routine flu data. This disruption means that health systems cannot brace for incoming cases, potentially affecting staffing, supplies, and patient care coordination. The severity and progression of each flu season can be unpredictable, making national data essential for reducing uncertainty.
State and local health departments continue to update their own dashboards, but without federal coordination, visibility into regional trends is limited. For example, RSV activity typically starts in the South and moves north, but without national data, other states might miss early warnings from areas like Florida, where outbreaks have been reported. Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University emphasized that communication is key to any response, and the lack of information feeds public mistrust and concerns about the public health system.
The data gap also affects personal health decisions, such as vaccination timing. Some individuals, like an epidemiologist mentioned by Dr. Anne Zink, former chief medical officer for Alaska, rely on trend data to optimize when to get the flu vaccine for maximum protection throughout the season. Without accessible updates, people may make less informed choices, potentially increasing their risk of infection during peak virus activity.
Broader issues of trust in public health are exacerbated by the surveillance pause. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former CDC director, expressed concern that the shutdown could delay the ramp-up of reporting even after it ends, due to catch-up costs and ongoing turmoil at the CDC. Additionally, the administration might not prioritize certain data streams, such as vaccine coverage reports, further reducing transparency. Timely, accurate data is critical for building and maintaining public confidence, especially after past challenges.
Looking ahead, experts stress the importance of resuming surveillance quickly once the shutdown concludes to mitigate long-term impacts. Initiatives like the Population Health Information and Visualization Exchange (PopHIVE) at Yale are stepping in to fill gaps, but a coordinated federal effort is necessary for comprehensive coverage. The situation underscores the vulnerability of public health infrastructure to political disruptions and the need for resilient systems to protect against future threats.