CDC head Rochelle Walensky calls for agency’s reorganization, citing lackluster COVID-19 pandemic response

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walsensky called for a reorganization of her agency on Wednesday, citing its slow, confusing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For 75 years, CDC and public health have been preparing for COVID-19, and in our big moment, our performance did not reliably meet expectations,” Walensky said Wednesday, according to The New York Times. “My goal is a new, public health, action-oriented culture at CDC that emphasizes accountability, collaboration, communication and timeliness.”

In a meeting with senior staff on Wednesday, Walensky outlined a plan to reorganize the federal health agency to prioritize public health needs and curbing outbreaks, and to deprioritize publication of scientific papers on rare diseases, The Times reported.