The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has experienced extensive changes over the past year, marked by a lack of a permanent director, substantial workforce reductions, and shifts in administrative policies. These developments have sparked reported declines in staff morale, public protests, and concerns among some public health professionals regarding the agency's operations and influence.
Leadership and Workforce Transformations
The CDC has been without a permanent director for over six months. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who also leads the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was appointed interim CDC director by the Trump administration in mid-February, a role he holds concurrently. Under the current administration, the agency has had a Senate-confirmed director for less than one month.
Workforce reductions have significantly impacted the agency. Approximately 1,000 employees were terminated in February, with subsequent staff reductions and early retirements projected to result in a loss of roughly a quarter of its workforce by the end of 2025, according to an analysis by KFF Health News. Overall, more than 3,000 public health workers have departed the institution.
Among those initially terminated was former CDC communications specialist Sarah Boim, whose termination letter cited that her "ability, knowledge, and skills do not fit the agency's current needs," despite her performance having been previously rated as "outstanding." While some workers terminated in the first round were later reinstated, the administration has continued staff and funding reductions.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon stated that current CDC staffing levels are consistent with pre-pandemic figures.
Administrative Policy and Justifications
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the CDC, has defended the administrative changes. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon commented that "HHS under the Biden administration became a bloated bureaucracy," and the department "continues to close wasteful and duplicative entities, including those that are at odds with the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda."
Nixon also stated that the decline in public trust in the CDC's vaccine information began before the current administration, attributing it to perceived inconsistencies from the Biden administration, and asserted that Secretary Kennedy's mandate is to restore transparency and accountability.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has implemented changes to the process by which scientific evidence is reviewed and used to develop public health policies. However, a federal judge recently halted a year of vaccine policy changes initiated by Secretary Kennedy and his advisory committee. Congress also restored the agency's funding to previous levels in January.
Conversely, many in public health contend that the methods implemented have created disorder, disconnected policy from scientific evidence, and undermined critical public health programs. Former CDC officials express ongoing concern about the agency's long-term future.
Impact and Response
The workforce reductions have had local economic effects, with Nathan Chanthavong, manager of Sri Thai restaurant near the CDC campus, reporting a "small dip" in business and catering orders.
Former CDC workers and their supporters have conducted weekly protests outside the CDC's main entrance, marking the one-year anniversary of the initial staff cuts, which some refer to as the "Valentine's Day massacre." Mutual aid groups in Atlanta have provided over $200,000 in assistance to former CDC workers for various needs.
Current and recently departed CDC officials indicate that morale is low, with health communications specialist Aryn Melton Backus stating it is at an all-time low, surpassing levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researcher Ben McKenzie highlighted the emotional impact among current employees of a shooting incident on August 8. In that event, an individual opened fire on CDC buildings, resulting in the death of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose before the assailant killed himself. Reports indicate that damage to the affected buildings has not been fully repaired.
Policy and Public Trust Concerns
Over the past year, the CDC has experienced substantial losses in staff, programs, and reputation, according to current and former officials. Its vaccine recommendations are reportedly no longer universally accepted by major U.S. medical organizations and approximately 30 states. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the acting CDC director, publicly supported the measles vaccine after assuming his interim role.