CDC leaders rally troops, sidestep controversy in all-hands meeting

In their first all-staff meeting since the start of the Trump administration, the interim leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attempted to rally the troops and address concerns at the agency on Tuesday.

Staff were briefed on the progress of CDC director nominee Susan Monarez, who has started meeting with senators in preparation for a Senate confirmation hearing. Additionally, it was announced that the upcoming June meeting of the agency’s expert vaccine panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, will be shorter than originally planned. This is due to the fact that the eight new members of the committee, who replaced the 17 previous members dismissed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week, are still getting up to speed and not yet ready to handle all agenda items.

Despite fears of tension, the hour-long meeting proceeded without any audible outbursts from staff. An email sent out to agency personnel the day before the meeting included a list of prohibited items on CDC campuses, such as firearms, mace or pepper sprays, and bladed tools.

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