Dr. Anne Schuchat, the deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced her retirement Monday.
Schuchat had been with the CDC for 33 years. Her exit follows the May 14 departure of Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the former director of the National Center for Immunization and Diseases. (RELATED: How CDC Went From ‘Impending Doom’ To Telling All Vaccinated People To Take Their Masks Off)
Politico first reported Schuchat’s imminent departure.
“This summer, I’ll be leaving the agency for a retirement that I hope will allow more time for creative passions,” Schuchat said in a statement, according to Politico. “I will be leaving with the greatest respect and confidence in CDC’s leadership and staff, and the important work we do. I could not be more optimistic about the future of our agency and the prospects for our public health system. After a long and fulfilling career in public health, infectious diseases, and epidemiology, it is time for me to smell some roses.”
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 26: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) stands with members of his coronavirus task force, (L-R) Transportation Acting Under Secretary for Policy Joel Szabat, Assistant HHS Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, Vice President Mike Pence, CDC Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House February 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. The president gave an update on what he called the administration’s “whole of government” response to the global coronavirus outbreak. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The current director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said she held “enormous gratitude” for Schuchat’s leadership in her own statement.
“I am especially thankful for her invaluable counsel, assistance and support in my transition into this role. Anne embodies selfless public service, the pinnacle of scientific and intellectual standards, and has given her heart to our agency and the public health community. I will remain forever grateful that our paths crossed, even for just a short while,” Walensky’s statement said, according to Fox News.
Schuchat’s retirement did not appear to be a result of an internal disagreement, according to multiple reports.