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US CDC reset: How will the health agency change?
- CDC admitted its COVID response "fell short"
- The reorganisation would mainly include an internal staff shuffle
- CDC director said she want to "get rid of some of the reporting layers"
Dr. Rochelle Walensky of the US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) said that the health agency would be “reset” internally in the coming months. She also admitted that the health agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic “fell short.”
The new measure would mainly include an internal shuffle of the CDC staff, with the aim to boost public communication and data releases. According to a press release, the following changes have been proposed:
—Increasing the use of preprint scientific reports to get out actionable data, instead of waiting for research to go through peer review and publication by the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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—Restructuring the agency’s communications office and further revamping CDC websites to make the agency’s guidance for the public clear and easier to find.
—Altering the length of time agency leaders are devoted to outbreak responses to a minimum of six months — an effort to address a turnover problem that at times caused knowledge gaps and affected the agency’s communications.
—Creation of a new executive council to help Walensky set strategy and priorities.
—Appointing Mary Wakefield as senior counselor to implement the changes. Wakefield headed the Health Resources and Services Administration during the Obama administration and also served as the deputy chief administrator at HHS. Wakefield, 68, started Monday.
—Altering the agency’s organization chart to undo some changes made during the Trump administration.
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—Establishing an office of intergovernmental affairs to smooth partnerships with other agencies, as well as a higher-level office on health equity.
In Wednesday’s press briefing, CDC Director Walensky added that she wanted to “get rid of some of the reporting layers that exist.” She explained that the overall changes are less about redrawing the organization chart than rethinking how the CDC does business and motivates staff.
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