Lettuce explain: Cyclospora outbreaks test Trump administration messaging

The Trump administration is facing a key messaging test as it tries to stop potentially multiple outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness. 

Two months in and thousands of cases later, the outbreak has become a communications nightmare.   

Experts say confusing messages and a lack of central leadership have left the public in the dark about what produce is safe and distrustful of the Trump administration’s public health response.  

Any outbreak of foodborne illness requires careful public communication, experts said. There needs to be a balance in telling people which products to avoid without causing a panic and scaring people away from eating fresh vegetables. 

But many Americans are continuing to wonder what they are supposed to do. They don’t know which lettuce is safe, and they don’t know if they can trust the Trump administration to be truthful about the outbreaks. 

Asked on Friday whether it was safe for Americans to eat lettuce, President Trump said he hadn’t thought about it.

“You need someone to set and guide expectations, and I don’t think they have that right now at the federal level,” said Glen Nowak, director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication at the University of Georgia. 

“You need expertise. You’re hampered by acting directors or not even knowing who the director is. That’s a huge handicap,” Nowak said.  

“Where has CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] leadership been? There’s not one federal leader out there to explain what’s happening, or not happening,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. 

Health officials are still investigating the potential source or sources of the illness but say they are making progress.  

There are far more cases of cyclosporiasis this year........

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