Staff members at agencies inside HHS, including officials at the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health, received the order to halt all public communication and reports earlier this week. The pause in communications extends through Feb. 1.

The move impacts everything from major food recalls to vital public health warnings. Experts explain what that means for you and what scares them.

The Trump administration told federal public health agencies like the CDC that they are not to communicate health messages for now. The hold includes memos, reports, online posts, website updates and other forms of communication. Scientific meetings were also canceled for the time being, including of advisory panels.