At the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees feel under constant surveillance and fear repercussions following major staff cuts initiated by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Since his appointment in February, over 10,000 seasoned health workers have been dismissed, leading to a chaotic environment. Many staff now avoid digital communication to prevent being monitored and write notes by hand.
Kennedy’s reform agenda aims to “make America healthy again” but has disrupted scientific norms, closed essential research programs, and politicized health decisions, particularly regarding vaccines. For instance, he controversially fired members of the advisory committee on immunization practices to reshape vaccine policies, raising concerns about public health implications.
Despite Kennedy’s claims of improving efficiency, sources describe bureaucratic hurdles that hinder grant access and operational functions at health agencies like the FDA. The CDC’s services, crucial for chronic disease prevention, are collapsing, affecting vital programs without clear reasoning. Current employees express anxiety about the state of public health and uncertainty about their future, fearing the direction of the administration under what many see as an anti-science agenda.
