How the CDC Must Change (with Director Rochelle Walensky)

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky made a bold move earlier this month when she publicly acknowledged the major mistakes her agency made during the pandemic and announced major changes on their way. Andy asks Rochelle to spell out some of those mistakes, from flip-flopping mask guidance to low staffing levels in a time of crisis, and detail the changes underway to turn the CDC into a more nimble and transparent organization for the next major public health emergency.

Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt.

Follow Rochelle Walensky on Twitter @CDCDirector.

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Check out these resources from today’s episode: 

Read more about Rochelle’s statement to her staff on August 17: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/17/us/politics/cdc-rochelle-walensky-covid.html

Read the CDC’s guidance on monkeypox, which Rochelle points to as an example of plain language the agency plans to use more often: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html

Find vaccines, masks, testing, treatments, and other resources in your community: https://www.covid.gov/

Order Andy’s book, “Preventable: The Inside Story of How Leadership Failures, Politics, and Selfishness Doomed the U.S. Coronavirus Response”: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250770165 

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For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com/show/inthebubble. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.