Americans’ confidence in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has plummeted, according to a 2025 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases survey released Dec. 3, and many young people are getting vaccine advice from social media.

The poll reflects a crisis of confidence in public health institutions, said Josh Sharfstein, a professor with the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and former secretary of the Maryland Department of Health.

“At the moment, there are two perspectives on the CDC, and both of them are concerning,” Sharfstein said. “The Secretary of Health is cutting the budget and criticizing scientists who work there. And then you have people who are concerned about the cuts and are hearing from scientists who have quit, talking about their concerns

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