The trend: Five years after the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic, consumer trust in public health agencies continues to fall, according to the latest Axios/Ipsos American Health Index poll. 1,066 US adults were surveyed earlier this month.

The topline data:

• 62% of Americans have “a great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in health information delivered by the CDC, per Axios/Ipsos.
• That’s down significantly from March 2020, when 88% of Americans trusted the CDC.
• Only 43% think CDC leaders are honest with the public.
• Fewer consumers trust the NIH (57%) or the FDA (56%). Confidence in both agencies has dipped since Axios/Ipsos began asking respondents about them in 2023.
• There are significant differences across party lines. For instance, 86% of Democrats and 62% of independents trust health information from the CDC, compared with just 42% of Republicans.

Yes, and: Many consumers also believe they were misled about COVID-19-related treatments and preventive methods.

• Over half (53%) think public health officials lied about how effective COVID-19 vaccines and masks are at preventing the spread of the virus, per Axios/Ipsos.
• 32% believe that the publicly reported number of Americans who have died from COVID-19 (1.2 million) is higher than the actual total.

Why it matters: The current political climate is causing a lot of uncertainty about whether federal health agencies will be able to fully protect and promote the health of communities.

For one, employees across public health institutions are getting fired, laid off, and being offered buyouts as part of a sweeping effort by President Trump and Elon Musk to make the government more efficient.

Additionally, state and federal leaders are cutting back on public health investments—and in some cases are actively trying to undercut efforts to vaccinate patients.

• The US is in the process of withdrawing from the WHO, and just recently canceled 83% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts. Both actions will hamper the US’ ability to track health threats and prevent disease outbreaks domestically and internationally, experts say.
• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was behind recent decisions to pause a CDC campaign encouraging high-risk patients to get flu vaccines and to cancel a meeting of scientists who advise the FDA on vaccine policy.
• Several states are even trying to pass legislation to ban or limit manufacturing or selling mRNA (the technology used in COVID-19 shots) vaccines. Some of the bills call for punishing doctors who administer these vaccinations, per KFF Health News.

Our take: We think consumers’ declining confidence in public health institutions will only worsen as federal agencies purge personnel and authorities provide unclear messaging on treatments and protective measures for a range of medical conditions. The burden will ultimately fall on an already overworked health system and doctors who will be tasked with cleaning up the mess.