Dr. Rochelle Walensky on overhauling the CDC and challenges in American health

In August, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Rochelle Walensky called for an overhaul after reviewing the agency’s pandemic response.

• The COVID-19 pandemic was the first time the CDC had to tackle a health challenge so large, according to Walensky.
• Some causes for the low public trust for the CDC were the evolution of science, the evolution of the virus and how polarized the country is, she said.
• Infection rates for the flu and RSV are higher than they have been in previous years, and people are becoming ill earlier in the season than before.
• Walensky has called racism a “public health threat.” She announced the Health Equity office to understand what communities of special populations need and address their health concerns.

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