At the CDC’s Building 21 in Atlanta, staff are operating under a climate of fear and paranoia following mass firings under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. since his appointment in February, during which over 10,000 workers were let go. Employees avoid Zoom meetings and are cautious with conversations, given concerns about being monitored by officials from the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
Kennedy’s administration has drastically reshuffled health priorities, cancelled numerous research programs, and introduced layers of bureaucracy rather than streamlining processes, which insiders describe as chaotic and damaging to public health efforts. The firing of the advisory committee on immunization practices has further fueled fears of politicization of vaccines. Critics argue that Kennedy’s vision, while aiming to “make America healthy again”, is dismantling essential services, including programs targeting chronic diseases and childhood lead poisoning.
Sources indicate a lack of communication and operational capacity within agencies like the FDA, where staff cannot perform inspections effectively due to staff shortages and financial constraints. Many employees express a deep disillusionment with the current administration, feeling it is not aligned with scientific integrity and fearing the consequences for public health both domestically and abroad.
