CDC director orders reorganization, saying COVID-19 response ‘did not reliably meet expectations’

The director of the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention on Wednesday introduced a “reset” that can concentrate on making the group faster at responding to new well being threats amid criticism of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, instructed the company’s workers concerning the modifications, which embrace inner staffing strikes and steps to hurry up information releases.

“For 75 years, CDC and public well being have been making ready for COVID-19, and in our massive second, our efficiency didn’t reliably meet expectations,” she mentioned in an announcement obtained by The Washington Submit. “My objective is a brand new, public well being action-oriented tradition at CDC that emphasizes accountability, collaboration, communication, and timeliness. “

The modifications are a CDC initiative, and weren’t directed by the White Home or different administration officers, Walensky mentioned.

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Among the many modifications introduced Wednesday was a restructuring of the company’s communications workplace and revamping its web site to make public well being steerage simpler to seek out and rising using preprint scientific stories to get actionable information out faster.

Different modifications included the creation of a brand new govt council to assist Walensky set technique and priorities, whereas additionally undoing some modifications made throughout the Trump administration.

“I really feel prefer it’s my duty to steer this company to a greater place after a very difficult three years,” Walensky instructed The Related Press.

The modifications come amid ongoing criticism of the company’s response to COVID-19, monkeypox and different public well being threats.

The CDC is an Atlanta-based federal company charged with defending People from illness outbreaks and different public well being threats.
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Consultants mentioned the CDC was gradual to acknowledge how a lot virus was coming into the U.S. from Europe, to advocate individuals put on masks, to say the virus can unfold by the air, and to ramp up systematic testing for brand spanking new variants.

The CDC has a $12 billion finances and greater than 11,000 staff. Walensky grew to become director of the company in January 2021.

The Related Press contributed to this report.