Rochelle Walensky

In February 2020, U.S. public health labs received flawed COVID tests from the CDC. As the agency revamps, efforts to be better prepared for future threats won’t be easy, observers say.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, 54, described her time at the agency as intense, but stopped short of saying she was burned out.

The head of the CDC announced her exit on the same day the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 is no longer a global public health emergency.

Like many workplaces, the CDC went remote during the pandemic. Most of the agency’s staff members haven’t returned to the office full time, raising concerns about the ability to reform itself.

Those who know Wakefield say her high standards and problem-solving skills make her a good fit for the job of helping “reset” the agency after its failures handling the COVID pandemic.

The proposed changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention come amid ongoing criticism of the agency's response to COVID-19, monkeypox and other public health threats.

The federal health agency released new guidance for when Americans need to mask up indoors, saying about 70% of the population lives in a place where it's safe to go mask free.

The CDC held only two telebriefings in 2021. That lack of transparency has prompted criticism — and a pledge from director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to be more open.

Experts weigh in as the federal government urges everyone to get boosted amid concerns over omicron, a new covid variant.

Millions of doses have already been shipped to states, doctors' offices and pharmacies. And pediatricians are getting ready to put shots into little arms. The shots contain a third of the dose given to teens and adults.