The doctors and physicians are in shock as the healthcare system in America is in complete chaos. The Trump administration began sending out termination notices early in the morning for the workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This sudden news of mass firings comes after a significant measles outbreak in Western Texas.
The workers were sent last-minute emails that stated that employees’ building access was cut off starting April 1. Critics such as Splinter Deputy Editor Dave Levitan have called the move “incredibly stupid and awful.”
The mass firings targeted doctors, scientists, and other employees from several departments, including staff in several sectors starting from the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice (DEHSP), Division of Population Health, Division of HIV Prevention, and Division of Reproductive Health before receiving a reduction in force (RIF) notices before they even arrived at work.
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Meanwhile, as per Alternet, Physician Boghuma Titanji said, “Today is the day the CDC was essentially dissolved.” Others, like Professor Chandra Prescod-Weinstein, warned that the dismantling of the CDC could set back progress on diseases like HIV and COVID.
Similarly, Professor Chandra Prescod-Weinstein noted that reducing the workforce at this point when there’s a massive outbreak would set back the progress the U.S. had made in developing medication for diseases like HIV and COVID. He quoted, If you thought COVID sucked, wait until the next one. Wait until our gains on HIV start to reverse. Wait for it because people are going to die.”
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According to sources, the recent mass firings have not only reduced the workforce that would aid in responding to outbreaks at the CDC, but these workers also required anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly. In addition, workers who got laid off talked to National Public Radio (NPR) and expressed concerns over the future job opportunities in the healthcare sector under the Trump administration and the weakening of policies around vaccination.
These firings are related to an executive order that Donald Trump signed to reduce the federal workforce and save dollars. Trump also set up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) specifically for cost-cutting and previously laid-off workers in various departments.
Attorney Matthew Cortland, who is immunocompromised, called the CDC firing dangerous, saying it could harm vulnerable Americans. On the other hand, the deadly measles outbreak in Western Texas continues to worsen. Media reports from ABC News have confirmed 22 new cases in the last five days.
As per the outlet, Children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases at 169, followed by children ages 4 and under at 141. Other states like Colorado, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, and 19 others have also confirmed cases.
Even though measles was eradicated as a disease in the U.S. in 2000 due to the highly effective vaccination program, CDC data shows that vaccination rates have gone down in recent years, which might be the cause of the unexpected outbreak. Moreover, Donald Trump’s administration has already made $12B in healthcare cuts. Hopefully, this won’t affect the vaccinations and measles treatment for those affected.
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The current situation in the country does not look good. It would be great if the Trump administration came up with a better plan and prevented the anti-vaxxers from coming in the way of immunization. Perhaps Donald Trump should slow down a little with his erratic decision-making style of leadership, take a breather, and then work on a more solution-driven plan for the country.
What do you think? Let us know!
