A major overhaul has been announced by the US Disease Control Agency to improve its response to public health emergencies
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has publicly acknowledged the shortcomings in their response to the Covid-19 epidemic and plans to restructure it to better serve the public and respond to any future crises.
“For 75 years, CDC and public health have been preparing for COVID-19, and in our big moment, our performance did not reliably meet expectations,”According to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC on Wednesday. “As a long-time admirer of this agency and a champion for public health, I want us all to do better.”
The overhaul announcement follows an internal review that found the CDC’s “rigid, compartmentalized bureaucracy”Its response to Covid-19 was weakened and it slowed down its data analysis as well as its public advisory releases. Pandemic guidance, when it was provided, was frequently not. “confusing and overwhelming,”The review was concluded.
America leads the world with Covid-19 death and case numbers. However, the CDC is known for slow response times, confusing messaging, and poor communication. In some instances, the agency withheld much of its data because it was concerned that the information might be misused. “misinterpreted.”It withheld information on Covid-19 infection among Americans who had been fully vaccinated and about the effectiveness of booster vaccines for people aged 18 to 49.
“Our public health infrastructure in the country was not up to the task of handling this pandemic,”Walensky spoke to CBS News Wednesday. Elle added: “We learned some hard lessons over the last three years, and as part of that, it’s my responsibility, it’s the agency’s responsibility, to learn from those lessons and do better.”
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The handling of the monkeypox epidemic has also been criticized by the CDC. The reorganization plan, which will require approval from higher-ups in President Joe Biden’s administration, aims to get information to the public more quickly and speak about health issues in plain English, rather than scientific jargon.
Walensky is also planning to simplify the CDC, with fewer reporting levels, and to create a nimbler workforce, better equipped to deal with crises. “We need to have special forces, if you will, to deploy during pandemic times,”Sie said.
Plan calls for the creation of a new office in order to encourage business. “equity in health care,” though Walensky didn’t clarify how that would improve pandemic response.
