Government Shutdown: CDC's Flu Surveillance Will Continue

The federal government shut down at midnight as the Senate failed to reach an agreement on a short-term spending plan on Friday. The Senate will reconvene at noon Saturday to try to reach a compromise that keeps the government funded.

As the government shutdown begins, thousands of federal employees will be furloughed, government payments can see delays and departments like the National Park Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are affected. As the nation is hit with a particularly severe flu season — it's now widespread in 49 states except Hawaii — a government shutdown would mean the CDC will fall behind on its response to fight the spread of the flu and to track the spread of deadly diseases and infections across the country.

However, the CDC will continue to track the flu season even during the shutdown, according to multiple reports. A 2018 contingency plan on the Health and Human Services website states that the CDC's immediate response to urgent disease outbreaks, including seasonal influenza, would continue.

"To continue ongoing influenza surveillance, CDC would collect data being reported by states, hospitals, and others, and report out critical information needed for state and local health authorities and providers to track, prevent and treat the disease," the plan says.

The latest CDC report said there were 14,401 new laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu during the week that ended Jan. 13, bringing the season total to 74,562. Patient traffic was up in 32 states, making Jan. 7-13 one of the busiest weeks for flu symptoms in nine years. At least 30 children have died, a third of them during the week ending Jan. 13.

The seasonal total is unprecedented in the 13 years the CDC has been monitoring influenza activity. The agency has declared it an epidemic and has urged anyone who hasn't received a flu vaccination to get one. And while the flu season should peak soon, the CDC said in a special Jan. 12 briefing that "it will take many more weeks for flu activity to truly slow down."

“CDC specifically will be continuing their ongoing influenza surveillance," an administration official told reporters during a conference call Friday.

Disease surveillance activities not directly related to protection of life and limiting disease progression would see a delay in response.

"CDC would be unable to support most non-communicable disease prevention programs, continuous updating of disease treatment and prevention recommendations, and technical assistance, analysis, and other support to state and local partners," according to the plan.

Colin Miner, Cody Fenwick and Beth Dalbey contributed to this report.

Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press