Trisha Garcia | November 23, 2025
Cuero, Texas — As former CDC directors sound alarms over the new administration’s vaccine messaging, local health leaders in small towns like Cuero are watching closely. The changes—ranging from dismantling long-standing advisory committees to altering CDC’s website language on autism and vaccines—could have outsized impacts in rural counties where healthcare resources are already stretched thin.
National Controversy, Local Consequences
Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC Director, condemned the firing of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), warning it will “create confusion for doctors, increase costs for families, and trigger preventable outbreaks.” For DeWitt County, where many families rely on small clinics and school-based vaccination programs, confusion at the national level could translate into missed shots and rising vulnerability to diseases like measles and whooping cough.
Trust at Risk
Dr. Susan Monarez, ousted CDC Director, testified that she refused pressure to preapprove vaccine recommendations, saying her “worst fear was approving something that would reduce access to lifesaving vaccines.” In communities like Cuero, where trust in local doctors and public health officials is essential, undermining confidence in vaccines could erode decades of progress in keeping children safe.
Rural Vulnerabilities
- Limited healthcare access: With fewer hospitals and specialists, outbreaks spread faster in rural areas.
- School health programs: Local schools are frontline providers of vaccines; mixed messaging could cause parents to hesitate.
- Economic strain: Preventable disease outbreaks increase costs for families and local clinics, which often operate on tight budgets.
Voices From the Field
Local pediatricians and public health advocates stress that vaccines remain one of the most effective tools for protecting children. “We don’t have the luxury of big-city hospitals here,” one Cuero health worker noted. “If vaccine confidence drops, we’ll see preventable illnesses return—and that means real harm to our neighbors.”
A Community Responsibility
Former CDC leaders argue that dismantling safeguards erodes trust in science. For Cuero and DeWitt County, the stakes are clear: protecting children, maintaining school attendance, and ensuring that small-town clinics aren’t overwhelmed by diseases long thought defeated.