Thousands of probationary employees at the Department of Health and Human Services, including nearly 1,300 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lost their jobs Friday as part of the Trump administration’s push to reduce federal staffing.
Mike Stobbe and Carla K. Johnson report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The layoffs affected about 5,200 HHS employees, including 50 first-year officers in the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, which was established in 1951 to investigate disease outbreaks.
- HHS officials framed the cuts as part of broader efforts to streamline government, though details on severance and reassignment were unclear.
- The move follows Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s swearing-in as HHS overseer and aligns with the administration’s strategy to shrink the federal workforce.
Key quote:
“That sort of slash-and-burn approach is what will cause continued disruptions in our understanding of diseases" and disease outbreaks.
— Dr. Joshua Barocas, infectious disease expert at the University of Colorado School of Medicine
Why this matters:
Public health agencies like the CDC rely on trained professionals to track, investigate and respond to disease outbreaks. Cutting staff, particularly from programs like the Epidemic Intelligence Service, could weaken the country’s ability to detect and control emerging threats. The loss of scientists and researchers comes amid ongoing global health concerns, raising questions about the nation's preparedness for future crises.
