In what was perhaps the worst late April Fools’ Day prank of all time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it would halt testing for rabies and pause tracking for over two dozen other diseases. The CDC acts as an important reference point for state and local health authorities when diagnosing rabies and other diseases. Unfortunately, this drastic upheaval carries not just political consequences, but real human costs in Virginia and beyond. Testing and tracking programs help doctors confirm suspected cases. Limiting these practices may result in less accurate diagnoses, especially with a disease like rabies where early symptoms can resemble other diseases prior to more severe stages. This is a serious mistake that the Virginia Department of Health will be forced to mitigate.
This move is the latest amid a growing wave of cuts and setbacks for the CDC and public health. The embattled and chronically understaffed agency has found itself in the crosshairs of an increasingly politicized howitzer aimed at public health. In late August 2025, President Donald Trump fired then-CDC director Susan Monarez for her refusal to support the administration’s cynical and, in many cases, pseudoscientific stance toward vaccines. Since Monarez’s removal, the agency has operated without a formal director. Moreover, the federal government’s hazy stance towards vaccines has sparked widespread vaccine hesitancy and plummeting childhood vaccination rates. The number of measles cases reported since the new administration was inaugurated has consequently exploded. The gutting of public health is not just an abstract policy failure, it is a tangible danger. Under the Trump administration, the once-respected and even revered gold standard of public health has become a chthonic circus.
The CDC’s latest move is yet another serious misstep. Private labs like Labcorp, unfortunately, do not regularly test for rabies and other rare diseases, as doing so would not be profitable given the relatively small number of cases. Therefore, doctors are critically reliant on CDC testing to serve as a baseline for diagnoses. Without it, doctors and local public health authorities lose an important reference point.
If the federal government is going to continue to wage war against public health and jeopardize evidence-based science, state and local authorities must step in to ensure stability. Agencies like the Virginia Department of Health and even the U.Va. Health system should do their part to counter the CDC’s deleterious actions. VDH should utilize what resources it has available to conduct its own disease tracking research so that medical professionals still have information to work with, and health authorities across the Commonwealth can use their bully pulpit to correct the wildly inaccurate claims being circulated about vaccines and other accepted medical practices. U.Va. Health can undertake its own media campaign on Grounds to ensure that students are aware of prevailing medical consensus. Without these important initiatives, hospitals risk losing vital information that can be indispensable in diagnosing and documenting deadly diseases.
To Virginia’s credit, some important steps are already being taken. In March, VDH joined the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, a collective of states organized to coordinate and develop sound public health policy in light of the CDC’s incompetence. This February, VDH put out a press release reaffirming its commitment to vaccines and robust scientific standards. Where the federal government has attempted to erratically rewrite the adolescent vaccine schedule and embroiled itself in a bitter legal battle, Virginia appears to be presenting a steady hand. So far, VDH efforts appear somewhat successful. While states like Texas have not challenged federal standards and have experienced major outbreaks, Virginia has largely avoided catastrophe.
However, the problem is that this is not merely a policy issue but an information issue. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of Health and Human Services, has a massive social media presence and the ability to reach millions of Americans directly. Regardless of what policies VDH pursues, many Virginians may make decisions based on faulty social media information. Therefore, VDH and U.Va. Health should work proactively to combat these false narratives on social media and through community engagement to keep the public well-informed and educated enough to make reasoned medical decisions. Part of this effort may include, where appropriate, fact-checking misleading social media posts through Community Notes and other features that allow independent, qualified individuals to add important context to flagrantly misleading posts. Of course, free speech is broad, and censorship is unacceptable. At the same time, free speech is a two-way street. Right now, medical professionals at the federal level are being blocked by the administration from sharing important information with the public. This is where Virginia must step in.
The Trump administration in the past year has badly missed the mark when it comes to the nation’s public health. In order to restore confidence to American public health, the CDC likely needs new leadership and a total reversal of its current policy. That leadership may be on its way, as Trump’s nomination of Erica Schwartz to serve as the next CDC director signals a potential shift away from the worst elements of the administration’s public health policy. This, unfortunately, is mere speculation, and the problem will likely persist so long as the Trump administration calls the shots. With the recent outbreak of the Hantavirus, the importance of quality public health becomes ever more pressing. In the interim, Virginians need clear guidance from public health authorities to combat the preposterous nonsense being spewed by the CDC. VDH and U.Va. Health should fill that role. The safety and health of our Commonwealth depend on it.
Joshua Hawkins is a senior associate opinion editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.
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