CDC Director Susan Monarez dismissed from position shortly after taking office
Susan Monarez, the first CDC director to require Senate confirmation and the first without a medical degree since the 1950s, has been removed from her position at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This announcement was made by the White House on Wednesday.
Monarez was sworn in as CDC director on July 31, taking over the role in Atlanta. However, her tenure was short-lived, with several top officials at the CDC, including Dr. Debra Houry (agency's deputy director), Dr. Daniel Jernigan (head of the agency's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases), and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis (head of its National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases), resigning in recent weeks.
Attorneys representing Monarez have stated that she has neither resigned nor been fired. The HHS did not immediately respond to questions about the resignations or Monarez's lawyers' statement.
The HHS thanked Monarez for her service, but the White House stated that she is not aligned with the President's agenda of "Making America Healthy Again." Monarez has been vocal about refusing to comply with unscientific, reckless directives and choosing to protect the public over serving a political agenda.
The CDC's Decatur headquarters is still reeling from a shooting that took place earlier this month. Monarez described the incident as an attack on all CDC staff and mentioned that the healing process will take time.
As of now, the position of CDC Director in Atlanta is vacant, and there is no publicly confirmed information yet on who will likely take over the role. The White House has emphasized confidence in the health team but has not announced a successor.
This turn of events comes at a critical time for the CDC, as the world grapples with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other health challenges. The agency's work is more important than ever, and it remains to be seen how these changes will impact its operations and the public's health.
