Kitsap public health says sudden CDC grant terminations suspend COVID vaccine funding, pause local immunization clinics

Kitsap Public Health District officials told the board on April 3 that immediate federal actions terminating multiple pandemic-era grants have suspended the district’s COVID vaccine funding that had been expected through June 2025.

“CDC issued immediate notices terminating multiple pandemic related grants,” said Yolanda Fong, administrator for the health district, during the health officer and administrator reports. She said the federal action produced “an abrupt stoppage of approximately $130,000,000 to critical public health funding in Washington state.”

The district said the lost funds supported vaccine clinics for children and adults (two clinics a month locally), outreach and coordination with community partners, and an immunization survey planned to assess barriers to vaccination. Fong said Kitsap Public Health District has removed future clinic promotions from its website and is meeting with the county health officer and program staff to adapt strategies now that those specific vaccination funds have been suspended.

Lynn Pitsinger, director of the community health division, said the funding loss is part of broader, real-time impacts nationally and statewide. “Public health is experiencing an acute attack on our funding, credibility, and mission,” she told the board, and said the contested revenue stream represented “nearly 20% of our overall budget and a large share of our discretionary funding.”

Board members asked where existing vaccine doses would go if clinics were canceled. District staff said vaccine ordering is done to anticipated monthly needs and that they would not allow doses to be wasted: doses would be shared or transferred to partners and not left to create debt. The district noted Peninsula Community Health Services (PCHS) is still holding vaccine clinics and that the public will be directed there as appropriate.

To protect revenue already earned, Fong said she had expedited a consolidated contract signature with the board chair and vice chair so the district could invoice the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) for work done January through March and request payment for those months.

Board members pressed for details about a previously discussed enhanced measles immunization approach targeted to specific schools; district staff confirmed the funding that would have paid for “shots in arms” for that targeted work was among the grants that were suspended, though education and outreach funding remains. Pitsinger said the district is coordinating with schools, partner clinical providers and outreach programs to direct people to primary care and pharmacies while also addressing gaps for people without a primary care provider.

The district said it is meeting this week with state and local partners to plan next steps and to reallocate staff time and program strategies in response to the funding change.

Ending: Board members did not take a formal vote on additional emergency appropriations at the April 3 meeting; staff said further updates and any required board actions would come after ongoing internal and interagency planning.