Washington: In the wake of the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faced a wave of layoffs affecting approximately 1,300 employees, though hundreds of notices were later rescinded. The move, part of the Trump administration's effort to eliminate positions deemed "non-essential," has sparked unease among public health experts and staff.
According to sources familiar with the matter, several entire units, including the CDC's Washington office, were initially targeted. However, by Saturday evening, notices to about 90 employees across units of 700 staff were reversed, leaving uncertainty over the stability of key public health divisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under which the CDC operates, maintained that the cuts targeted duplicative or wasteful roles, aligning with the administration's agenda to streamline federal operations.
Among the units initially affected were teams responsible for the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and early-career epidemiologists engaged in outbreak investigations. These dismissals were subsequently reversed, alleviating fears that essential public health surveillance might be severely disrupted.
This is not the first time the CDC has faced abrupt staffing changes. Earlier this year, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. oversaw the dismissal of 2,400 employees, only to rehire nearly 1,000 months later. Kennedy, who has openly criticized the CDC, has reshaped vaccine advisory structures and overseen leadership changes within the agency, drawing criticism for contributing to declining immunization rates.
As the shutdown persists, questions remain about the CDC’s ability to respond to emerging health threats and maintain critical programs. Public health officials warn that protracted uncertainty and staff reductions could impact disease prevention efforts and weaken the agency’s role in safeguarding national health.
The CDC and White House declined to comment further, while President Trump attributed the ongoing shutdown and resulting workforce reductions to Democratic obstruction, leaving thousands of federal employees across agencies in a state of uncertainty.