‘No quick fixes’: Walensky’s push for change at CDC meets reality

The CDC’s new push to get information about health crises out faster to Americans is already running up against its limited authority, congressional inaction and the agency’s own entrenched culture.

In August, Director Rochelle Walensky ordered an overhaul of the CDC after its bungled Covid-19 response, including a drive to share research and data sooner and be more open with the public about what agency scientists do — and don’t — know.

But the CDC’s inability to compel states to share information about disease outbreaks is getting in the way of the effort, said Walensky, who added that the agency needs more money from Congress to draw in new talent and train the public health workforce to speed up the information flow to the public.

In an interview with POLITICO, Walensky said it is critical for the CDC to communicate with Americans more quickly — even when it doesn’t know everything. “In a pandemic, you don’t have time to wait. You have to take action to help people,” said Walenksy, who has faced her own communications problems during the crisis. “We haven’t been able to be as nimble as we’ve needed to be.”