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Five Years After COVID-19 Pandemic Declaration, Public Health Faces New Challenges

Despite hard lessons from the pandemic, funding cuts and declining trust in health institutions leave the U.S. less prepared for future outbreaks.

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about the U.S response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic during an address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 11, 2020.

Overview

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 1.2 million lives in the U.S. and nearly 7.1 million globally since 2020, making it one of the deadliest outbreaks in history.
  • Public health agencies like the CDC, NIH, and WHO played critical roles in pandemic response but now face significant funding cuts and workforce reductions in the U.S.
  • The U.S. has withdrawn from the World Health Organization and reduced investments in pandemic preparedness, raising concerns about the ability to respond to future health crises.
  • Trust in public health institutions has eroded, fueled by political polarization and misinformation, complicating efforts to rebuild confidence in science and health guidance.
  • Emerging threats such as H5N1 bird flu, measles outbreaks, and long COVID continue to strain public health systems, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action and investment.