'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAIBBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAMEBREGIxMhIgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgURAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQAEQUhUYGx/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDMHF8Ja8gxOVSr1NZtQvBWTZqsCrJ4tsSAm/o+tmT0WbEDuaIkh40SnXkUaZmcE+QApH3FUtTzc1yEDvuKKGuyLodFi+z71n//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On May 5, 2023, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky resigned from her role. Walensky is best known for guiding President Joe Biden through the Covid-19 Pandemic. Politico noted that news of her resignation surfaced after the Biden Admistration announced that they would end the nation's national health emergency status around COVID.
In her statement, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that as the COVID Pandemic winds down, this would be a good time for her to make a career transition, though she did not disclose any further details. Dr. Walensky served with the CDC for two years, starting in the middle of the global pandemic. She said that guiding the nation through those troubled times was the greatest professional achievement of her life.
All there is to know about Rochelle Walensky
Born in Peabody Massachusetts in 1969, Dr. Rochelle Walensky became a practicing physician-scientist after receiving an MD from the John Hopkins School of Medicine in 1995. After training in internal medicine at the John Hopkins Hospital, she became a fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital's Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program.
In November, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Dr. Rochelle Walensky was recognised for a paper she wrote on the effectiveness of the vaccine against the virus. One month later, then President-Elect Joe Biden announced that Walensky would be appointed as the CDC Director. She officially rose to the positionon January 20, 2021.
During the chaotic and challenging period, Dr. Walensky gained recognition for how she organised pandemic response teams.
Renowned American physician Ashish Kumar Jha commended her actions. Jha said:
"Dr. Walensky inherited a really messy organization with some real strengths but also a lot of problems."
In an official statement, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients echoed these sentiments. Zients said:
“Her creativity, skill and expertise, and pure grit were essential to our effective response and an historic recovery that made life better for Americans across the country."
During her time as CDC Director, Dr. Walensky also faced scrutiny from anti-vaxxers, who claimed that Covid-19 was a government hoax. She said that the primary challenge she faced dealing with the pandemic was convincing Americans to wear masks and adhere to other safety procotols. Dr. Walensky was also recognized for spreading more information about the virus. She did this by establishing centers for forecasting where outbreaks were predicted to take place.
After Dr. Walensky announced her resignation, President Biden acknowledged her service. He said:
“(She) leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans.”
As reported by Wall Street Journal, multiple CDC officials resigned from their posts as cases of Covid-19 declined. Several officials, including Dr. Walensky, joined the CDC in response to the crisis, and have other career goals in mind.
