State and local public health departments are bracing themselves as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pulls back about $11.4 billion in grants that were allocated to state and community health departments during the Covid-19 pandemic response.

Federal health officials said Tuesday they are pulling back $11.4 billion in COVID-19-related funds for local public health departments and other health organizations throughout the nation.

The Department of Health and Human Services is canceling tens of billions of dollars in federal grants that state and local health departments were using to track infectious diseases, health