{"id":76476,"date":"2025-10-21T16:31:46","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T23:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=76476"},"modified":"2025-10-21T16:31:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T23:31:46","slug":"heartbroken-for-our-nation-cdc-staff-describe-chaos-fear-and-loss-after-mass-firings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=76476","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Heartbroken for Our Nation!\u2019 CDC Staff Describe Chaos, Fear, and Loss After Mass Firings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_65 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_65\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span><a class=\"tdb-author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/americancommunitymedia.org\/author\/sunita\/\">Sunita Sohrabji<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_66 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_66\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><i class=\"tdb-date-icon tdc-font-fa tdc-font-fa-calendar\"><\/i><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2025-10-20T21:17:07-07:00\">Oct 20, 2025<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_67 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_67\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Public health experts say the terminations hollow out federal programs that protect Americans from infectious disease, maternal deaths, and climate-related health emergencies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_68 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_68\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-2\" title=\"IMG_0519\" src=\"https:\/\/americancommunitymedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0519-1-e1761019797329.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"706\" \/><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">(John Esteves photo via X)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_69 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_69\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Several former staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned that a wave of mass firings at the agency has left the nation\u2019s public health system in tatters, severely hamstringing the ability to respond to outbreaks.<\/p>\n<p>These terminations were not a glitch,\u201d said\u00a0Abigail Tighe, executive director of the National Public Health Coalition. \u201cThis round of firings, as with all the others experienced at CDC in the last 10 months, was an intentional attack on the American people and the public\u2019s health,\u201d she said, at an Oct. 13 news briefing hosted by NPHC.<\/p>\n<p>At the news briefing, several former CDC employees described a pattern of confusion, intimidation and disorganization following the termination of more than 1,000 CDC workers. Cuts were made to several core CDC programs.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-political-pawns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Political Pawns<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cAt this point, a quarter of CDC is gone,\u201d Tighe said. \u201cAt the highest level of leadership, there are no public health or medical professionals left to help guide CDC recommendations. Billions in contracts to state and local public health agencies have been canceled or clawed back, and the American people are queued up to suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are losing the people with the knowledge to prevent childhood drownings, child abuse and suicide,\u201d she said. \u201cWithout public health programs and experts, our country is on a frightening path.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPublic health serves everyone,\u201d said Tighe. \u201cIt is not partisan. But it\u2019s being used by this administration to fight a political battle \u2014 and we all will pay the price.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-illegal-and-capricious\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Illegal and Capricious\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>On Oct. 10, more than 1,300 CDC employees received notices of permanent layoffs, amid the Trump Administration\u2019s goal of \u201creduction in force.\u201d The following day, about 700 CDC employees got email notices that they were not laid off. Then on Oct. 14, U.S. District Judge for Northern California Susan Illston issued a temporary injunction on the remaining layoffs.<\/p>\n<p>In her ruling, Ilston said the layoffs were \u201cillegal and in excess of authority and is arbitrary and capricious.\u201d Those who received layoff notices are now essentially on leave with pay.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-biosecurity-unprotected\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Biosecurity Unprotected<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. John Brooks \u2014 who retired from the CDC last year after 26 years of service and most recently served as chief medical officer for the Division of HIV Prevention \u2014 said the agency\u2019s ongoing dismantling has weakened America\u2019s ability to respond to public health emergencies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCDC protects our biosecurity: from infectious disease outbreaks, natural or manmade disasters, or other health hazards,\u201d Brooks said. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t reduce critical military capabilities when threats are rising. But that\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening at CDC.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He compared the loss of CDC leaders and senior scientists to \u201closing generals and lieutenants\u201d in the armed forces.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEight out of every 10 taxpayer dollars CDC receives go directly to state and local staff and programs that keep communities safe. With these cuts, we are less prepared for the next big outbreak or disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Brooks condemned the firing of the entire CDC Washington staff, which liaises with Congress. \u201cEvery American is less safe when their elected representatives can\u2019t get data or expertise from CDC,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-smoking-cessation-programs-frozen\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smoking Cessation Programs Frozen<\/h2>\n<p>Aryn Melton Backus, a health communications specialist with CDC\u2019s Office on Smoking and Health, said she has been terminated three times since February and remains on administrative leave while her case moves through the courts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy situation highlights the chaos and confusion that federal employees have experienced over the past year,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m stuck in limbo, following court cases and trying to figure out my next step. I would love to go back to doing my job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The smoking prevention and cessation programs she helped manage have been frozen. \u201cEven if we could go back to work tomorrow, it would take time to restart our programs and campaigns,\u201d Backus said. \u201cThe administration claims the cuts were about duplication or waste, but we haven\u2019t seen any evidence. At this point, it seems like chaos and lack of transparency is the point.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-illness-is-nonpartisan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Illness is Nonpartisan<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. Karen Remley, former director of CDC\u2019s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities and a former Virginia state health commissioner, emphasized the loss of coordination between federal and state health officials.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo emergency or disaster knows any partisanship,\u201d Remley said. \u201cWe relied on CDC as our partner \u2014 the people you call when you need national expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-deliberate-destruction-of-science\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Deliberate Destruction of Science\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>A current CDC scientist, who spoke anonymously because she was fired Oct. 10, said the loss of experienced staff threatens the nation\u2019s scientific integrity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m appalled at what has happened since the start of this administration,\u201d the scientist said. \u201cMy colleagues have been tormented, threatened, even doxxed. These are the helpers Mr. Rogers told us about \u2014 people who rush into outbreaks and disasters while everyone else runs away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The scientist, who oversaw grants monitoring chronic disease rates, warned that public health could become privatized. \u201cDo you want to pay a subscription fee to see rates of flu in your state? Or rely on a company with a conflict of interest to warn you about a measles outbreak,\u201d she queried. \u201cThis is the deliberate destruction of science and lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BySunita Sohrabji Oct 20, 2025 Public&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","category-u-s-a"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76476"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76477,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76476\/revisions\/76477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}