Cruise Ship CDC Inspections at Risk Amid Layoffs, CBS Reports

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is currently without any full-time employees, according to a report by CBS News, raising concerns about the agency’s ability to conduct cruise ship health inspections.

Only 12 U.S. Public Health Service officers remain with the program, which could hinder its ability to carry out critical inspections and respond to outbreaks onboard ships. The lead epidemiologist responsible for cruise outbreak responses was reportedly included in the layoffs, leaving just one trainee epidemiologist on the team. Full training for inspectors typically takes six months.

The layoffs come at a particularly sensitive time, as a new strain of norovirus is spreading rapidly both on land and at sea. Already, 12 norovirus outbreaks have been reported on cruise ships in 2025, compared to 18 for the entire year in 2024.

Despite the timing, the VSP is not taxpayer-funded; it operates on fees paid by cruise lines. However, CDC officials have acknowledged to CBS that, given the scope of the layoffs, it will be “challenging for the already short-staffed program to maintain inspection and outbreak investigation efforts.”

A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson countered that inspections will continue, as many of the program’s commissioned officers were not affected by the cuts. Still, concern remains about how effectively the program can operate amid the staff reductions.