CDC Halts Cruise Ship Inspections Amidst Funding Cuts
Budget cuts enacted by the Trump administration have severely hampered the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), eliminating its capacity to monitor and control illness outbreaks on cruise ships. This comes amidst a surge in gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly norovirus outbreaks, exceeding previous years’ totals. Staff reductions within the CDC’s Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice have directly impacted the VSP’s ability to conduct health inspections and respond to outbreaks. The resulting loss of VSP oversight is causing significant concern given the increasing number of passengers becoming ill on cruise ships.
John Q. Hosedrinker