CDC Layoffs Reversed Amid Backlash
The CDC has rescinded 740 of the 1,300 layoff notices sent to staffers who protect Americans from nuclear, chemical, and biological threats.
According to HealthDay News, the layoff notices were initially sent to CDC staffers as the Trump administration sought to slash costs during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
- Personnel leading the CDC's response to US measles outbreaks, suicide prevention, and an overseas Ebola outbreak were spared.
- Dozens of officials responsible for safeguarding the nation from chemical, biological, and nuclear threats were initially fired.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that the administration is closing "wasteful and duplicative entities" and returning the workforce to levels closer to the end of the first Trump administration.
Author's summary: CDC reverses over 700 layoffs amid backlash over cuts to disease response teams.