The Trump administration has terminated hundreds of employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including fellows responsible for public health roles. Among those fired were workers in the Laboratory Leadership Service program, responsible for training public health laboratory staff. Termination notices cited poor performance, despite most employees having excellent reviews. The Epidemic Intelligence Service, another key program at CDC, was also expected to face significant cuts. Other fellowship programs aimed at developing future public health leaders were also affected. The termination process was chaotic and lacked transparency, with lists of employees designated as “must be retained,” “mission critical,” or “not mission critical” not appearing to influence decisions. Employees who received termination notices expressed concern for the future of public health, with many passionate about their work and driven by a desire to see public health succeed. The firings were part of broader efforts by the administration to streamline the federal government. Other federal agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and Transportation, have also begun dismissing probationary employees in line with the administration’s directives. The terminations have raised concerns about the long-term impact on public health and the CDC’s ability to respond to future outbreaks.
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