Category: Health

How Vaccination Protects Against Infectious and Chronic Diseases

In this post I remind you that infectious diseases can be mild but may lead to severe complications or chronic conditions. Trust in vaccines is essential, as their widespread use has drastically reduced the incidence of certain diseases. Recent measles outbreaks highlight the importance of vaccination efforts which are threatened by vaccine hesitancy.

When you or someone you love is sick with an infectious disease, you question how it was contracted, how long it takes to resolve, and how it could have been prevented.

Fortunately, many infectious diseases are self-limited, meaning they run a fairly predictable course and resolve with or without intervention. These include the common cold, influenza, gastroenteritis, and infectious mononucleosis.

But sometimes infections can cause severe complications or become prolonged illnesses that threaten life or cause long-term disability. We experienced this with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, causing millions to be hospitalized and die.

Influenza A infects humans and animals, making it easily spread and a pandemic risk.

Under the current administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, directed by Secretary Kennedy, prioritizes chronic diseases. And it should. According to the CDC, the leading causes of death in the United States are chronic illnesses and unintentional injuries.

But some chronic conditions start with an infection, such as cancers(due to HPV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and chronic liver disease. And researchers expect to find more.

As the list of chronic diseases associated with long-term viral infection grows, experimental models suggest that chronic virus infection contributes to certain cancers, as well as to diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). 

Emory University

That’s why I’m sharing advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci, who you probably remember from the COVID-19 pandemic. Long before that virus, he spent years working on the prevention and treatment of other serious viral diseases, including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and SARS.

How the treatment options for HIV/AIDS have improved since 1987.

In this article published on the NIH website five years ago, Dr. Fauci explained the value of vaccination in preventing infections and his concern about widespread distrust in vaccine science.

December 4, 2019

Building Trust in Vaccines

By Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., (Former) Director,

NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Vaccine research reduces disease.

As the director of NIAID, I oversee biomedical research on novel and improved vaccines for infectious diseases- dengue, tuberculosis, malaria, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and HIV.

Daily, scientists are advancing research on vaccine technologies that we hope will reduce disease and save lives. Daily, misinformation is threatening to erode the public’s trust in vaccines.

As communicators, we must remind people that vaccination remains one of the best ways to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from serious infectious diseases. 

Vaccine side effects are extremely rare.

The benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the risks. But, with so many vaccine myths spreading online, some people are confused.

People often ask me why they need to get vaccinated against diseases they have never seen. For example, only five cases of diphtheria have been reported in the past decade.

I explain that decades of widespread vaccination are precisely why certain infectious diseases are so uncommon in the U.S(link is external).

The more people who get vaccinated, the harder it is for an infectious disease to spread. This is what scientists call  herd immunity.

Unfortunately, successful immunization programs may have diminished our sense of urgency to get vaccinated. People are less concerned about diseases such as polio or measles because most have not seen these debilitating illnesses.

Measles re-emerges when vaccination lags

Yet, recent outbreaks of measles in the U.S. illustrate how gaps in vaccination coverage can allow a highly contagious respiratory disease to spread quickly.

Thanks to widespread immunization, measles has not been endemic (constantly present) in the U.S. for more than 20 years. However, measles exists in other countries, and can come to the U.S. by travelers and then spread to unimmunized people.

It can be helpful to think of vaccines like seatbelts. Although we do not expect to be in an accident every time we drive a car, we still buckle up and strap our children in car seats.

Even though some vaccine-preventable diseases are uncommon in the U.S., it is important to continue recommended immunizations. The recent resurgence of measles is a tragic reminder of what happens when people decide not to vaccinate.

Effective vaccination programs can completely eradicate certain diseases. 

Smallpox, which killed an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century alone, was eradicated in 1980 thanks to an unprecedented immunization campaign that remains one of the world’s greatest public health achievements.

Influenza vaccine’s importance

Recently, I shared my flu shot experience to encourage people to get immunized (October 16, 2019)

As a public health official, I feel obliged to use every opportunity I have to emphasize the value of vaccination and dispel myths about vaccines. As I emphasize in the video, it is misguided on both a personal and community level to skip getting a flu shot.

Influenza can be a very serious illness. Even young, otherwise healthy people who become ill with influenza feel terrible and may miss days of work or school.

Some may even need to be hospitalized. According to the CDC, during the 2017-2018 influenza season, influenza caused an estimated 959,000 hospitalizations and 79,400 deaths in the U.S..

Studies show that flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick and can reduce your risk of flu-associated hospitalization should you become infected(link is external).

Not getting vaccinated also increases the risk of infection to vulnerable individuals in the community. We share a responsibility to protect not just ourselves, but our community from influenza.

Babies under six months of age and people with certain health conditions who cannot be vaccinated are better protected from influenza when the community has widespread vaccination coverage, thus reducing influenza transmission.

Vaccine safety testing

As we research new vaccine technologies, it is important to clearly explain the rigorous process by which vaccines are tested).

Vaccine candidates are first examined in the laboratory and advance to clinical trials only if they are safe in animals. In early-stage clinical trials, researchers test if the vaccine is safe and causes an immune response.

Then, they test the vaccine in large groups to see if it effectively prevents disease. Before granting a license, the FDA evaluates all data to ensure the vaccine’s benefits outweigh any potential side effects.

Additional measures are in place to monitor adverse events post-licensure.

As research advances our understanding of how to prevent and treat disease, we must continue to identify ways to increase the public’s trust in vaccines.

Vaccines can save lives, but only if people trust that they are safe and effective.

Republished from the NIH website, which is in the public domain. Edits done for clarity and length.

Dr. Fauci retired from the NIH in January 2023 after 50 years of service.

Post Images

I took the images in this post during a visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, in 2023. The pictures were part of a temporary exhibit, Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World.

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Aletha

Can Kennedy’s HHS Restructuring End Chronic Disease?

In this post I look at Secretary of Health Robert Kennedy Jr’s plans to cut 10,000 jobs and close five regional offices in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to tackle the “chronic disease epidemic”. The restructuring intends to reduce HHS’s budget by $1.8 billion while facing significant criticism from Democrats about the potential public health impact.

Secretary of Health Robert Kennedy Jr. and President Trump have established a goal of eliminating the “chronic disease epidemic.” To do so, the Secretary has ordered a massive reduction in the budget and workforce of HHS, the Department of Health and Human Services.

What is Chronic Disease?

Chronic diseases are defined broadly as conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What is an Epidemic?

In the 21st century, epidemics of infectious diseases have threatened humans. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), avian influenza, and HIV/AIDS have supported the reality of this threat. 

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Late in the 20th century, epidemic was applied to noninfectious diseases, such as cancer epidemics or epidemics of obesity. Using epidemic for noninfectious causes refers to a disease that affects many people, with a recent and substantial increase in cases.

For nonmedical events, journalists use the term epidemic for anything that adversely affects large numbers of persons or objects and propagates like a disease, such as crack cocaine, computer viruses, or severe weather.

Reference: Martin P, Martin-Granel E. 2,500-year Evolution of the Term Epidemic. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2006;12(6):976-980. doi:10.3201/eid1206.051263.

Here is the Secretary’s plan for HHS to address the “epidemic” he believes exists.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to slash 10,000 jobs, close 5 regional offices

By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom, March 27, 2025 | 12:26 pm ET

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced a sweeping plan Thursday to restructure the Department of Health and Human Services by cutting an additional 10,000 workers and closing down half of its 10 regional offices.

The overhaul will affect many of the agencies that make up HHS, including the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

HHS overall will be downsized from a full-time workforce of 82,000 to 62,000, including those who took early retirement or a buyout offer.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. released a written statement along with the announcement, saying the changes would benefit Americans.

“We aren’t just reducing bureaucratic sprawl.

We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy said. “This Department will do more — a lot more — at a lower cost to the taxpayer.”  

The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Kennedy as the nation’s top public health official in mid-February.

James H. Shannon Building (Building One), NIH campus, Bethesda, MD
James H. Shannon Building (Building One), NIH campus, Bethesda, MD

Congressional reaction

Democrats immediately reacted with deep concern.

Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said that she was “stunned at the lack of thought about what they are doing to the American public and their health.”

Murray said the committee, which controls about one-third of all federal spending, “absolutely” has an oversight role to play in tracking HHS actions.

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that funds HHS, said she believes HHS has overstepped its authority and expects the panel will look into its actions.

“These individuals who are going to be terminated under this plan play vital roles in the health of Wisconsinites and people nationally,” Baldwin said. “And I believe that they do not have the authority, the Trump administration does not have the authority to do this wholesale reorganization without working with Congress.”

Maryland Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, whose constituents in suburban Washington likely hold many of the jobs in question, wrote in a statement the HHS’ restructuring plans are “dangerous and deadly.”

“I warned America that confirming RFK Jr. would be a mistake,” Alsobrooks wrote. “His blatant distrust of science and disregard for research and advancement makes him completely unqualified.”

Cuts across department

The announcement says reorganizing HHS will cut its $1.7 trillion annual budget by about $1.8 billion, in part, by lowering overall staff levels.

Staffing cuts will be spread out over HHS and several of the agencies it oversees. The restructuring plans to eliminate

  • 3,500 full-time workers at the FDA,
  • 2,400 employees at the CDC,
  • 1,200 staff at the NIH and
  • 300 workers at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
President Donald Trump visited NIH on March 3, 2020 and toured the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Vaccine Research Center (VRC) to learn about research on a vaccine for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. public domain photo from flickr

“The consolidation and cuts are designed not only to save money, but to make the organization more efficient and more responsive to Americans’ needs, and to implement the Make America Healthy Again goal of ending the chronic disease epidemic,” according to a fact sheet.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP, Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., wrote in a statement that he looks “forward to hearing how this reorganization furthers these goals.”

“I am interested in HHS working better, such as lifesaving drug approval more rapidly, and Medicare service improved,” Cassidy wrote.

Regional offices, divisions affected

HHS did not immediately respond to a request from States Newsroom about which five of its 10 regional offices would shutter or when those closures would take effect.

Its website shows the offices are located in Boston; New York City; Philadelphia; Atlanta; Chicago; Dallas; Kansas City, Missouri; Denver; San Francisco; and Seattle.

HHS plans to reduce its divisions from 28 to 15 while also establishing the Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA.

That new entity will combine the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

That change will “improve coordination of health resources for low-income Americans and will focus on areas including, Primary Care, Maternal and Child Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, HIV/AIDS, and Workforce development.

Transferring SAMHSA to AHA will increase operational efficiency and assure programs are carried out because it will break down artificial divisions between similar programs,” according to the announcement.

HHS will roll the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response into the CDC.

The department plans to create a new assistant secretary for enforcement, who will be responsible for work within the Departmental Appeals Board, Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals and Office for Civil Rights.

House speaker says HHS is ‘bloated’

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., posted on social media that he fully backed the changes in store for HHS.

​​”HHS is one of the most bureaucratic and bloated government agencies,” Johnson wrote. “@SecKennedy is bringing new, much-needed ideas to the department by returning HHS to its core mission while maintaining the critical programs it provides Americans.”

Advocates shared Democrats’ concern about the staff cutbacks.

Stella Dantas, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, released a statement saying the organization was “alarmed by the sudden termination of thousands of dedicated HHS employees, whose absence compounds the loss of thousands of fellow employees who have already been forced to leave U.S. health agencies.”

“Thanks to collaboration with HHS, ACOG has been able to contribute to advances in the provision of maternal health care, broadened coverage of critical preventive care, increased adoption of vaccines, raised awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome, strengthened STI prevention efforts, and more,” Dantas wrote. “This attack on public health—and HHS’ ability to advance it—will hurt people across the United States every single day.”

Originally Published on News From The States

All States Newsroom content is free to republish, as per our policy. 

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-department-health-and-human-services-slash-10000-jobs-close-5-regional-offices

Is there an “epidemic of chronic disease”?

When I practiced medicine, I and other professionals treated “chronic disease” daily. The number of people who live with a specific chronic disease varies, but the number and percentage of the population who have a chronic disease doesn’t seem to change much.

While we will always work to eliminate chronic disease, that will likely be impossible, at least soon. But improved treatments and lifestyle changes do help people with chronic diseases live longer, and healthier.

Key prevention points from the CDC

  • Most chronic diseases are caused by a short list of risk factors: tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use.
    • By avoiding these risks and getting good preventive care, you can improve your chance of staying well, feeling good, and living longer.
examples of ways to reduce the risk of a chronic disease, breast cancer.
Cover Image

The cover image is from the CDC website. It represents hypertension, high blood pressure, one of the most prevalent chronic medical conditions.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha