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.
SEE ALSO | CDC official responded to “eerie” alert about new virus in late 2019