Is the US prepared to deal with another pandemic or widespread health crisis?
Based on current assessments, the picture of U.S. pandemic preparedness in 2026 is mixed and, according to most expert evaluations, trending in a worrying direction.
Current State of Readiness
The most authoritative annual assessment, Trust for America's Health's "Ready or Not 2026" report, paints a concerning picture. In 2025, the country faced the most severe flu season in nearly a decade, rising measles outbreaks, continued H5N1 avian influenza activity, and a growing number of extreme weather events—all while the federal systems built over decades to help states prepare for and respond to emergencies came under significant strain.
The report breaks states into performance tiers: 20 states in the high-performance tier, 17 states and the District of Columbia in the middle-performance tier, and 13 states in the low-performance tier — showing significant unevenness across the country.
Specific Threats Being Managed Right Now
The United States entered 2026 managing its most severe influenza season in nearly a decade, the highest measles case count since 1991, and sustained avian influenza surveillance — all while the federal public health infrastructure underpinning hospital and clinical emergency response was being significantly dismantled. Experts characterize this convergence as a defining stress test for the nation's preparedness architecture — and that many states are not well positioned to absorb the shock.
Key Weaknesses
Federal workforce and funding instability: Ready or Not 2026 finds wide variation in state preparedness and warns that federal disruption could weaken emergency readiness nationwide. Specifically, jurisdictions navigated federal funding terminations that affected more than $8.9 billion in Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity program support, which states use for laboratory staffing, testing operations, and surveillance infrastructure.
Loss of dedicated pandemic leadership: The White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, created after COVID to coordinate federal response, has been gutted — in 2025, Gerald Parker resigned as head of the office, leaving the office with no employees.
Weakened CDC and advisory structures: Trump, Kennedy and the GOP-controlled Congress have weakened and reduced not just CDC but much of the U.S. public health infrastructure as well. Advisory committees were disbanded and replaced with Kennedy think-alikes.
Workforce gaps in basic protections: Access to paid sick leave — a key tool for limiting disease spread — varies enormously, from... [high coverage]... to 67 percent in East South Central states—and gaps are most concentrated among low-wage, part-time, and service-sector workers.
Some Bright Spots
It's not all negative. A few structural improvements have taken hold:
What Experts Recommend
TFAH's report urges policymakers to provide stable, flexible, and sufficient funding for public health preparedness, workforce, and data modernization... restore the federal public health workforce and capabilities reduced in 2025... reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act... [and] strengthen outbreak and pandemic readiness by supporting immunization, public health surveillance, and antimicrobial resistance efforts.
Bottom Line
The consensus among public health experts and preparedness organizations is that the U.S. is less prepared today than it was even a year or two ago, despite facing active, simultaneous disease threats. The irony highlighted by multiple reports is stark: preparedness infrastructure is being dismantled at precisely the moment it's being tested by a severe flu season, record measles cases, and ongoing bird flu surveillance. While some structural tools (nurse licensing compacts, accreditation programs) have improved, the overall trajectory — driven by federal budget cuts, staffing losses, and leadership vacancies — points toward reduced national resilience rather than strengthened readiness for the next major health crisis.
Citations (12)
- Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism - TFAH
Source excerpt: “In 2025, the country faced the most severe flu season in nearly a decade, rising measles outbreaks, continued H5N1 avian influenza activity, and a gro...”
evidence, official document, points to no. Claim: In 2025 the US faced a severe flu season, rising measles outbreaks, H5N1 activity and extreme weather while federal preparedness systems were strained.
- Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism - TFAH
Source excerpt: “The report also places states and the District of Columbia into three performance tiers: **20 states in the high-performance tier, 17 states and the D...”
statistic, official document, neutral. Claim: States split into tiers: 20 high-performance, 17 plus DC middle, 13 low-performance, showing uneven preparedness.
- Federal Cuts to Public Health Infrastructure Threaten Hospital and Clinical Emergency Readiness
Source excerpt: “The United States entered 2026 managing its most severe influenza season in nearly a decade, the highest measles case count since 1991, and sustained ...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: US entered 2026 with severe flu, highest measles count since 1991, and avian flu surveillance while federal public health infrastructure was dismantled.
- Federal Cuts to Public Health Infrastructure Threaten Hospital and Clinical Emergency Readiness
Source excerpt: “A new report from Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), released May 7, 2026, finds that this convergence of active threats and federal instability repre...”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Experts call this convergence a stress test for preparedness, with many states poorly positioned to absorb the shock.
- Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies at Risk Amid Federal Funding and Workforce Instability, New Report Finds - TFAH
Source excerpt: “Ready or Not 2026 finds wide variation in state preparedness and warns that federal disruption could weaken emergency readiness ... # Preparedness fo...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Ready or Not 2026 finds wide state variation and warns federal disruption could weaken emergency readiness nationwide.
- Ready or Not: ISSUE REPORT MAY 2026 PROTECTING THE PUBLIC’S HEALTH FROM
Source excerpt: “These concurrent demands occurred as jurisdictions navigated federal funding terminations that affected more than $8.9 billion in Epidemiology and...”
statistic, official document, points to no. Claim: Federal funding terminations affected more than $8.9 billion in Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity program support.
- White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy
Source excerpt: “[[6]](./White_House_Office_of_Pandemic_Preparedness_and_Response_Policy#cite_note-6) In 2025, Gerald Parker resigned as head of the office, leaving th...”
evidence, reference entry, points to no. Claim: Gerald Parker resigned in 2025 as head of the White House pandemic office, leaving it with no employees.
- Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?
Source excerpt: “Since then, Trump, Kennedy and the GOP-controlled Congress have weakened and reduced not just CDC but much of the U.S. public health infrastructure as...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Trump, Kennedy and Congress weakened CDC and broader public health infrastructure; advisory committees were replaced.
- Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism - TFAH
Source excerpt: “to 67 percent in East South Central states—and gaps are most concentrated among low-wage, part-time, and service-sector workers. ”
statistic, official document, points to no. Claim: Paid sick leave access varies widely, down to 67 percent in East South Central states, with gaps among low-wage workers.
- Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism - TFAH
Source excerpt: “- **Nurse Licensure Compact:** As of early 2026, 41 states have adopted the Nurse Licensure Compact, improving states’ ability to rapidly mobilize nur...”
statistic, official document, points to yes. Claim: 41 states have adopted the Nurse Licensure Compact, improving ability to mobilize nurses across state lines.
- Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism - TFAH
Source excerpt: “- **Public Health and Emergency Management Accreditation:** Most states are accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and/or the Emergency M...”
evidence, official document, points to yes. Claim: Most states are accredited by PHAB and/or EMAP, strengthening coordination and emergency response.
- Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism - TFAH
Source excerpt: “- Provide stable, flexible, and sufficient funding for public health preparedness, workforce, and data modernization to help ensure every state has th...”
attribution, official document, neutral. Claim: TFAH recommends stable funding, restoring the federal workforce, reauthorizing PAHPA, and supporting immunization and surveillance.