The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) has been gutted following recent layoffs, leaving all full-time employees off the job and only 12 Public Health Service officers to continue operations. Despite being funded by cruise line fees, not taxpayer dollars, the cuts eliminated critical staff, including the lead outbreak epidemiologist, amid a record surge in norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships. CDC officials warn the program’s ability to inspect vessels and respond to outbreaks is severely compromised, as inspectors now face increased workloads without administrative support and key expertise, threatening oversight of cruise ship health standards.
