CDC staff ordered back to headquarters on September 15, mere weeks following a shooting incident
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is facing a series of challenges, with the recent shooting at its Atlanta campus, staff layoffs, and a change in leadership.
On August 8, a gunman attacked the CDC's Atlanta campus, firing nearly 500 shots and tragically killing a police officer. The attack left bullet holes in windows of six CDC buildings. A source within the CDC described the agency as "crumbling" after the incident, as employees took cover under their desks as bullets flew over their heads.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the CDC is experiencing a reduction-in-force layoffs of federal employees, resulting in about a quarter of its staff being lost. This week, at least 600 CDC employees received permanent termination notices.
The attack may have been influenced by conspiracy theories surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine, as the gunman, Patrick Joseph White, expressed discontent with the vaccine in written documents recovered from his home. The shooting has sparked concerns about the safety and well-being of CDC employees, with some staffers signing a letter anonymously out of fear of retaliation and personal safety.
The letter, signed by more than 750 Health and Human Services (HHS) employees, implored Secretary Xavier Becerra to stop spreading false information about vaccines and denigrating public health workers. The letter also tied the deadly shooting to political attacks on health agencies.
In response to the shooting and the staffing changes, the CDC has instructed its workers to return to the office on September 15. Employees who have workspaces impacted by the shooting will be assigned alternate spaces.
The leadership of the CDC has also seen a change, with CDC Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O'Neill appointed as acting director of the CDC on Monday, August 16, after the previous director, Susan Monarez, was fired. The reason for Monarez's ousting has not been disclosed.
The attack on the CDC's Atlanta campus has shaken the agency and raised questions about the safety and stability of public health institutions. The CDC, along with the rest of the world, continues to navigate the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges it presents.
This report was contributed to by CNN's Meg Tirrell, Chris Youd, Brenda Goodman, Ryan Young, Jason Morris, Dakin Andone, and Dalia Faheid.
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