This week, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention was effectively dismantled. Dr. Susan Monarez, the Trump appointed director of the CDC, was fired after refusing to green light Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s anti-vaccine policy and personnel.

Monarez’s ouster was followed by three protest resignations of top CDC officials: Chief Medical Officer Deb Houry, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Demetre Daskalakis, and director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases Daniel Jernigan. CDC staff showed support for Houry, Daskalakis, and Jernigan with a “clap out” to recognize their service.

Unfortunately, the ordeal indicates that the CDC will no longer be a trustworthy scientific body. Daskalakis, who is openly gay and helped lead the federal government’s response to the 2022-23 mpox outbreak, told The Advocate that the CDC “may be past the point of no return.” Disease control and prevention is out, and anti-vax pseudoscience is in.

When asked about Monarez, White House press secretary Karoline Levitt said: “The president has the authority to fire those who are not aligned with his mission.” Monarez’s replacement is an RFK lackey with no training in medicine and previously worked with tech billionaire Peter Thiel.

Already vaccine access is being hampered. The Food and Drug Administration has approved this year’s updated COVID-19 vaccine only for those with at least one of twenty-two “high risk” health conditions. As a result, CVS will require a prescription to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in 13 states and making it unavailable in 3 states based on “the current regulatory environment.”

Given sparser access to vaccines, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 will be circulating at higher levels this winter than it has been in the last two winters. This creates an immediate public health need. In the future, additional vaccines will likely be targeted.

Notably, state governments can take actions to address this gap (since the federal government will not), and some are already mobilizing to meet the need for widespread vaccination against COVID-19 and other infections. New England states have been discussing pooling expertise and resources in a public health coalition. Illinois is looking into buying COVID vaccines in bulk to bypass the federal government.

In this state-by-state solution, governors and state health departments would make evidence-based decisions to address public health needs. State legislatures may need to allocate funds. Contacting your state officials can help spur actions to maintain robust public health measures (including access to vaccination and disease prevention).

Below, you can find call scripts and a written template to use when contacting your governor, state representatives, and/or state department of health. Feel free to share them and to adapt them to fit your voice and your concerns.

Admittedly, this solution is patchwork at best. In the long term, the nation’s health infrastructure must be wrested back from the quacks that are currently dismantling it. We will also likely need to rebuild robust expertise and strategies. Until then, state governments are an important site of resistance to immediately fight RFK’s policies of unhealth — especially with flu season approaching.

As always, you can take steps to keep yourself safe. Get vaccinated if you can and mask to help prevent transmission of respiratory diseases to yourself and to others.

Hello,

My name is _________, I am one of your constituents. I live in _________ and my zip code is _________.

I’m reaching out about maintaining public health and access to vaccines. Vaccines are effective means of preventing disease. However, the federal government is limiting vaccine authorizations with no basis in evidence. This means that fewer people will be able to access to vaccines against COVID-19 and other transmittable diseases and more Americans will get sick with preventable, life-threatening diseases.

I encourage you to bridge this gap by mobilizing our state government to preserve public health. This includes allocating state funds to buy and distribute COVID-19 vaccines to people in our state for the upcoming winter flu season as well as collaborating with our neighboring states to protect our vital health needs. It is important to me that you take these steps now because _________.

Thank you for your time. If needed, I can best be reached at _________.

Dear [Governor/Senator/Representative/Director],

As one of your constituents, I’m reaching out about maintaining public health and access to vaccines. Vaccines are effective means of preventing disease. However, the federal government is limiting vaccine authorizations with no basis in evidence. This means that fewer people will be able to access to vaccines against COVID-19 and other transmittable diseases and more Americans will get sick with preventable, life-threatening diseases.

I encourage you to bridge this gap by mobilizing our state government to preserve public health. This includes allocating state funds to buy and distribute COVID-19 vaccines to people in our state for the upcoming winter flu season as well as collaborating with our neighboring states to protect our vital health needs. It is important to me that you take these steps now because _________.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[name]

[address]

[optional: email or phone]