The White House announced Friday that Centers of Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is departing the agency.
Walensky, who oversaw the COVID-19 pandemic, will be stepping down after two years serving at the agency. President Joe Biden commended her service by saying she “saved lives” during the pandemic.
“Dr. Walensky has saved lives with her steadfast and unwavering focus on the health of every American,” the White House’s statement read. “As Director of the CDC, she led a complex organization on the frontlines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with honesty and integrity. She marshalled our finest scientists and public health experts to turn the tide on the urgent crises we’ve faced.”
“Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans. We have all benefited from her service and dedication to public health, and I wish her the best in her next chapter,” the statement continued.
ROCHELLE WALENSKY is leaving the CDC, the White House announces
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 5, 2023
Walensky came under fire over some of her inconsistencies during the pandemic. She pushed for all children two years and older to wear masks by citing a study from Arizona, which found that schools with mask mandates were 3.5 times less likely to experience COVID-19 outbreaks. Medical experts broke apart the study since not all of the schools were open during the duration of the pandemic. (RELATED: Despite Evidence, Walensky Refuses To Call Omicron ‘Mild’ In Interview With Fox’s Bret Baier)
The CDC also misled the public about the severity of outdoor transmission by saying less that 10% of the virus’ transmission occurred outside, though it could’ve been truly 1% and even as low as 0.1%.
In May 2021, Walensky defended the Biden administration’s guidance for the vaccinated to wear masks, though she approved a recommendation the night before mandating that the vaccinated did not need to wear masks. She also flipped flopped on her promise that no federal vaccine mandate would be imposed, as she later backed the Biden administration’s mandates.