Upheaval & Firings at CDC/Ctrs for Disease Control Raise Fears about Disease Outbreak Response: NPR
NPR, Feb. 25, 2025.
The widespread upheaval at federal health agencies in the first month of the Trump administration comes at a time when the U.S. faces infectious disease threats on multiple fronts: The ongoing spread of bird flu around the country; the risk of emerging insect-borne viruses; and a ballooning measles outbreak in the Southwest.
Abroad, there are new strains of mpox and deadly outbreaks of Ebola and polio just a plane ride away. Recent mass firings, primarily aimed at new and temporary workers, have thinned the ranks of the workforce that would aid in the response to outbreaks at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to interviews with more than half a dozen current staff. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
A CDC panel that makes vaccine recommendations was scheduled to meet in late February.
The situation has infectious disease experts worried.
"This seems like the worst time to be taking steps to degrade our nation's preparedness," says Dr. David Fleming, a former CDC official who now chairs the agency's Advisory Committee to the Director. "They are greatly diminishing CDC and the country's ability to respond to emerging infectious threats." Those who work at CDC tell NPR they're deeply concerned about the prospect of future job cuts, and the weakening of policies around vaccination. They also caution that restrictions around communication could hamper the agency's response to unfolding outbreaks.
"The big thing that's impacting us now is the demoralizing work environment, intentional chaos, uncertainty over our jobs," says one CDC staffer. "Outbreak responses are very stressful when you have all the available resources. To be on outbreak response now in this climate is a whole new level of complexity and stress." Dr. Deblina Datta, an infectious disease physician who retired from the CDC in 2023 says "this is just a very dangerous period of time for our country because we are addressing threats on multiple fronts. In my 24 years at the CDC, I have never seen the morale hit that is going on right now."...
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5307117/cdc-firings-infectious-disease-response