Several senior leaders of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have resigned a few hours after the agency’s head was expelled from its role.
Susan Monarez’s departure is less than a month after less than a month after being confirmed by the Senate. It is not clear why he was removed from the job.
According to letters received by BBC US partner CBS News, three other officials including CDC Chief Medical Officer have now resigned.
Exodus comes as health experts, which is a matter of concern on agency’s approach to vaccination led by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior, a vaccine skeptical.
CDC officials said that Dr. Monarez canceled an agency-wide meeting on Monday as he was called to Washington DC.
The US Health and Human Services Department (HHS) said in a post on X that Kennedy “has full confidence” in the CDC team, “which will be cautious in protecting Americans from infectious diseases at home and abroad.”
The department Confirmed the departure of Monarez, thanked him “for his dedicated service to American people”.
Shortly thereafter, in a statement, his lawyer Mark Zaid said that his client refused to fire “rubber-stamp unscientific, careless instructions and dedicated health experts”.
“He chose to protect the public to serve an agenda,” he said.
Mr. Zaid also said that Dr. Monarez did not resign or was not informed about his dismissal.
For a long time, the scientist of the federal government, Dr. Monarez was nominated to lead the CDC by President Donald Trump and confirmed in a Senate vote with party lines in July.
His nomination withdrew Trump to his first pick, former Republican Congressman Dave Weldon, who came into fire for his views on vaccines and autism.
Dr. Shortly after Monarez left, at least three senior CDC leaders resigned from the agency.
Daniel Jarnigan, who led the National Center for Emerging and Zunotic infectious diseases, left the “current reference in the department”.
Debra Humi, Chief Medical Officer of CDC and head of the National Center for Vaccination and respiratory diseases, Demetre Deskalas also resigned.
There are also reports including NBC News, Dr. Dr. Dr., Director of the Office of Public Health Data, Monitoring and Technology. Jennifer Leden has also resigned.
In a letter, Dr. Humi warned about “rise of misinformation” about vaccines. He also argued that the planned cuts in the agency’s budget would harm the CDC.
Dr. Desklasis said he was no longer able to serve “due to the ongoing weapons of public health.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the new covid vaccines, while could have been limited.
The vaccines will be available to all seniors, but small adults and children will be excluded without health conditions.
Robert F. Kennedy Junior wrote on X, “Emergency Use Authority for Covid vaccines, once used to justify the wider mandate on the general public during the biden administration, is now canceled.”
Susan Monarez was the first CDC director in 50 years, who did not get a medical degree. His background is in infectious disease research.
In his month as a CDC leader, he helped the resting agency employees after a gunman attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, believing that he suffered damage from covid vaccines.
The attack, in which hundreds of bullets killed the building, killed a police officer.
Earlier this month, the current and former employees of the agency wrote an open letter, alleging that Kennedy alleges that he is promoting violence against healthcare workers with his anti-virtuous rhetoric.
Dr. A union representing the Monarez departure CDC employees announced that it had fired about 600 employees.
The broader pruning consisted of employees working on the government’s response to infectious diseases, including bird flu, as well as people who conducted research on environmental hazards and handle public record requests.
