More than 50 vaccine clinics across North Texas were canceled after federal funding cuts forced the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services to lay off 11 staff and 10 temporary workers, DCHSS Director Philip Huang told county commissioners Tuesday.
Many of the terminated employees worked in immunization outreach, and most of the planned clinics were pop-ups serving the county’s most vulnerable residents, Huang said.
"These [clinic cancelations] include some just recently scheduled with some of the schools to try to do measles vaccine and others," he said. "So, you know, very concerning regarding the impact of those cuts and the loss of this staff."
He confirmed that the DCHSS' brick-and-mortar centers, including the clinic on North Stemmons Freeway, would continue to provide vaccines. DCHSS hopes to develop partnerships with churches and other community institutions to identify people who need transportation to its brick-and-mortar clinics to receive vaccines. Updates will be made available on the department’s website.
The layoffs come as measles cases continue to rise in West Texas, and with one confirmed case in North Texas.
Last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed it would cut more than $11 billion in health funding from certain programs including COVID-19 grants.
Huang stressed the importance of reaching vulnerable communities in a post-COVID society where vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine sentiments are on the rise.
“We are a victim of our own success with [the vaccine]," Huang said. "People don't see measles and they think, ‘well, I don't see measles, measles isn't around, why do I still need to get this shot?’ And it's exactly because of the effectiveness of the vaccine."
He went on to explain that measles is the most contagious disease known to man, surpassing the contagion rates of COVID-19.
“Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. The vaccine is so safe and so effective that most clinicians have never seen a case of measles. I’ve never seen a case of measles,” Huang said.
