CDC Director Announces Resignation

The director of the CDC announced on Friday she will be resigning from her position in late June.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky’s decision to leave her post comes just hours after the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that COVID-19 is no longer a global public health emergency.

While Walensky did not state why she is stepping down, her decision to depart the organization may stem from the waning relevance of COVID-19 in the United States and abroad.

“The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency marks a tremendous transition for our country, for public health, and in my tenure as CDC Director,” wrote Walensky in a letter to President Joe Biden, according to a press release.

“I took on this role, at your request, with the goal of leaving behind the dark days of the pandemic and moving CDC — and public health — forward into a much better and more trusted place,” she wrote.

The CDC credited Walensksy not only for allegedly restoring morale at the organization but also for helping facilitate “normalcy.” She additionally was responsible for the launch of Moving Forward, a set of reforms designed to bolster response and communication operations.

“While at CDC, I had the true gift of meeting, working with, and giving voice to thousands of people at the agency who work 24/7 to worry about health and public health so that the rest of the nation does not have to,” Walensky said.

President Joe Biden issued a statement, remarking on her contributions and wishing her well.

“Dr. Walensky has saved lives with her steadfast and unwavering focus on the health of every American. As Director of the CDC, she led a complex organization on the front lines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with honesty and integrity,” President Biden claimed in the press release.

“Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans,” he claimed.

CDC officials reported that the virus was an “underlying cause” of 186,702 deaths in 2022 or 5.7% of all deaths that year. This number is a decrease in comparison to 2021, of which the disease was an underlying cause of 416,893 deaths or 12% of all deaths.

Public confidence in the CDC has suffered dramatically since the COVID outbreaks, with a recent study finding that roughly 25% of Americans either entirely or somewhat distrust the institution.