On March 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) abruptly cancelled over $11 billion in critical public health funding that supports identifying and addressing infectious diseases, ensuring access to immunizations, fortifying emergency preparedness, providing mental health and substance abuse services, and modernizing critical public health infrastructure. The next day, an HHS spokesperson justified the cuts by incorrectly stating that "the COVID-19 pandemic is over," despite the fact that the funding also supported essential projects unrelated to COVID-19.