Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Two Top CDC Officials Appointed By Trump Quit Agency
Politico: Two Senior CDC Officials Leave Agency
A pair of senior Trump appointees departed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday, a change at an agency that’s been heavily scrutinized for its response to the coronavirus. Kyle McGowan, the CDC’s chief of staff, and Amanda Campbell, the deputy chief of staff, both announced their departures in emails to colleagues on Friday morning. In an interview, McGowan said that the pair were starting a new consulting venture and that he wasn't aware of other pending departures from CDC. (Daimond, 8/15)
CNN: CDC's Chief Of Staff, Deputy Chief Of Staff Depart Agency
The pair had been criticized by Trump administration officials for not being loyal enough. McGowan started working in Health and Human Services under then-Secretary Tom Price. He first served as director of external affairs for HHS before moving to the CDC. CNN has reached out to HHS for comment about the departures. McGowan was the first ever CDC chief of staff who was a political appointee, the official said. (Valencia, 8/15)
In other CDC news —
The Hill: CDC Backtracks Guidance On Three-Month Window Of Immunity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) backtracked guidance it issued earlier this month, maintaining that people are not immune to reinfection to the coronavirus after recovering from the disease. “On August 3, 2020, CDC updated its isolation guidance based on the latest science about COVID-19 showing that people can continue to test positive for up to 3 months after diagnosis and not be infectious to others. Contrary to media reporting today, this science does not imply a person is immune to reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the 3 months following infection,” the CDC said in a press release. (Axelrod, 8/14)
