State and local public health departments are bracing themselves as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pulls back about $11.4 billion in grants that were allocated to state and community health departments during the Covid-19 pandemic response.

In related news: Federal agencies are looking to cut up to 50 percent of their employees as President Donald Trump pushes government downsizing, an internal White House document shows. Attorney General Pam Bondi dodged questions about a Signal leak investigation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services canceled around $12 billion in federal grants to states that were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal department and state officials said on Wednesday.

"The letter canceling my public health project ended with ‘Respectfully,’ of all things. There's nothing respectful about gutting health funding with a form letter,” writes Jess Steier.

Care-A-Van events dispensing COVID, flu, Mpox and childhood vaccines were scheduled at a free tax prep event in Yakima County, a women’s shelter in Seattle, and a Sunnyside school district event, according to a now-deleted webpage on the state Department of Health’s website.

The Trump administration announced big cuts to state health departments, including in Washington state. It's set to lose $130 million in grants.

Residents are hopeful that alternative solutions can be found to provide information and assistance to those affected by the funding cuts.

Texas and New Mexico's health departments said on Friday measles cases in their states have risen to 444, an increase of 74 infections since their last reports three days ago, as the U.S. deals with one of the largest measles outbreaks in a decade.