CDC director announces organization shake-up aimed at speed

A sign at the entrance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is photographed on April 19 in Atlanta.
A sign at the entrance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seen on April 19 in Atlanta. (Ron Harris/AP)

Ron Harris / Ron Harris

The head of nation’s top public health agency on Wednesday announced a shake-up of the organization, intended to make it more nimble.

The planned changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — CDC leaders call it a “reset”— come amid ongoing criticism of the agency’s response to COVID-19, monkeypox and other public health threats. The changes include internal staffing moves and steps to speed up data releases.

The CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, told the agency’s staff about the changes on Wednesday. It’s a CDC initiative, and was not directed by the White House or other administration officials, she said.