The highest public health agency in the country was thrown into uncertainty Wednesday night, when the head of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention was abruptly dismissed, only to her lawyers demanded that she follow the role. The other four Best CDC officials resigned, and one of them firmly, firmly formulated, said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, was carrying out a “gun of public health”.
The new Director of the CDC was named Thursday night, although the previous director has not yet been publicly recognized that her term has ended.
Reports, legal challenges and accusations have arisen in such a way that it can be difficult to follow. Here’s what happened, where everything is now and where they can go from here.
What happened?
On Wednesday night, Social media HHS announced that CDC director Susan Monarez, who was sworn to work less than a month ago, was no longer under the agency.
Less than two hours later, Monarez’s lawyers replied by saying that she was not actually dismissed and also refused to resign. They argued that Kennedy, though CDC falls within his competence as the HHS Secretary, has no authority to terminate it. They said only President Trump has this power.
“When Susan Monarez, Director of the CDC, abandoned the rubber seal of unconsciousness, reckless directives and fire-dedicated health experts, she chose the public protection of the political agenda.
The White House announced its statement late Wednesday night, saying that Monorez was released because it “was not coordinated with the presidential agenda that America would turn into a healthy way.” Monarez’s lawyers said it was still not enough because it came from a representative of the White House, not a short one.
“As a presidential department, the Senate confirmed the official, only the president himself can dismiss it,” Mark Zaid, one of Monarez’s lawyers, wrote in social media.
Caroline Leavitt, secretary of the White House press, told reporters on Thursday morning that Trump himself forgiven Monarez, but Zaid said it was still not enough.
‘[Leavitt] can say what she wants. … But that doesn’t make her comments actually correct, even when from the White House’s podium, “he wrote in social media.
The other four Best CDC officials left the agency on Wednesday night due to the disappointment of the agency, headed by the agency’s direction.
“I can no longer play this role due to the ongoing public health weapons,” Demetre Daskalakis, who was responsible for the center, which oversees national vaccination strategies, wrote by email. In a letter to colleagues who were shared with the media.
Daniel Jerigan, Director of the National Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Center, also resigned, as the CDC chief medical officer, Debra Houry, her Public Health Data Director and Director of the National Immunization and Respiratory Disease Center.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday morning, Kennedy said he would be inappropriate to comment on personnel problems. However, he collected great criticism of the CDC, claiming that the agency was “troubles” and added that “it may be possible that some people are unable to work there.”
Kennedy specifically summoned CDC actions during coronavirus pandemic.
“President Trump currently has a very, very ambitious CDC hope and CDC has problems,” he said. “We saw disinformation from Covid. They made a mistake. They made a mistake. They received a social distance, masks, a school closure that caused so much damage to the people of America today. “
Trump has not yet publicly commented on the shooting of Monarez, which is likely to end with uncertainty about its status.
But HHS is moving forward as if it were resolved. Jim O’Neill, Deputy Chief Department of Kennedy, was appointed Director of the CDC Thursday night. O’Neill, a former health officer who turned into a silicon valley investor, was also a frequent CDC critic during pandemic, although he described himself as a “very strong proactic” at a confirmation meeting in May.
How did we get here?
Kennedy was a controversial choice to lead HHS on a long statement of health history that contradicts scientific consensus, especially when it comes to vaccine safety and effectiveness. It was confirmed by narrow margins in the Senate. All Democrats voted against its approval and all Republicans except one vote.
Earlier this year, Kennedy announced mass exemptions from HHS, including hundreds of employees released from the CDC. During his term, he reorganized most of the department in Make America, again a healthy agenda, which focuses on chronic diseases that often contradict medical consensus. He also dismissed all members of the CDC Counseling Vaccination Council by replacing them with allies who have a vaccine skepticism, and attracted a researcher whose medical experts have widely criticized the work to do the cause of autism.
Monarez, a researcher of career infectious diseases, was the second choice for the Director of the Trump CDC. She was elected after Mr Trump’s candidate Dave Weldon had left for obvious concerns that Weldon could not get enough votes in the Senate to confirm his previous comments on vaccines.
Monarez reportedly reported to Monarez with Kennedy as a CDC director. The tension in the agency increased earlier this month after the arms, motivated by extreme beliefs before the vaccine, opened the fire at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, shocked hundreds of windows and killed a police officer. After the attack, more than 750 HHS staff published a letter to Kennedy, asking for a stopping disinformation. Previously, Monarez CDC sent a report to the employees of the “deadly consequences” vaccine conspiracy, although it did not directly blame any guilt Kennedy.
The situation arose on Wednesday, a few hours after the food and medicine administration announced new Covid-19 vaccines guidelines, which makes adults under 65 more difficult without the basic state of health to get to the shots.
What will happen next?
Trump can officially terminate the term of monarez with CDC at any time, personally releasing it.
However, the scandal may not end when Monarez is eventually removed. Republican Old Bill Cassidy, who heads the Senate Committee, who is dealing with health -related issues, said the CDC will need to be maintained by the CDC.
Cassidy also urged to be postponed to the upcoming meeting of the HHS vaccine advisory committee until thoroughly investigated the suspicions of the departed CDC staff.
“These decisions have a direct impact on children’s health, and the meeting should not take place until significant care is made,” he wrote in the report. “If the meeting is held, any recommendations provided should be rejected as a lack of legitimacy, taking into account the seriousness of the allegations and the current upheaval in the CDC leadership.”
You will also need to name a permanent CDC director. It is unclear whether O’Neneil, who is expected to keep his work HHS, will be appointed to hold a long -term position as a director at the same time. Any new director should be confirmed by the Senate.