Veteran CDC scientists handled crises such as a deadly national surge in hepatitis A cases among homeless people and illicit drug users, and a mysterious spike in severe illnesses in people who vaped electronic cigarettes. And now he could be called the "first gentleman" of the CDC. And she weighed in often publicly on Twitter, in newspapers, and on radio and TV. Crossword Newsletters We only have time for a few questions today. I want to reiterate that people who got the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are most effective, especially when against the Delta variant when given as two shots in a series. All Rights Reserved. He said, 'What's wrong, what's wrong, is everything OK?' Rochelle Walensky Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Biden's CDC Chief Rochelle Walensky Keeps Changing Her StoryAnd Pilates: The CelebrityApproved Workout That Can Help You Stay Lean, Long, and Lithe! But the confusing communications rattled a few, turning optimism into uncertainty and disappointment, one senior C.D.C. First, we include recommendations for individuals and families. MR. ZIENTS: Well, thank you, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky.Stepping back, we have come a long way in our fight against this virus. Biden's Straight-Talking CDC Director Has Long Used Data to Save Lives My husband looked over. She served on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted research on vaccine delivery and strategies to reach underserved communities. But I have another question before I get to vaccination. Rochelle holds an American nationality and belongs to the white ethnicity. Its safe, its free, its readily available, and its never been more important.As we manage this virus, our whole-of-government effort continues to work to get more people vaccinated, address areas where were seeing outbreaks among the unvaccinated, and prepare for every scenario.First and foremost, we continue to vaccinate hundreds of thousands of new people each day meeting unvaccinated Americans where they are, answering their questions, helping them make up their mind, and making it even easier and more convenient to get a shot as soon as they are ready to do so.Were doing this by trus- by entrusting and empowering messengers trusted messengers to have the conversations we know work whether its vaccinated people in communities across the country talking directly to their neighbors, sharing their own vaccination journey and answering question; or its Olivia Rodrigo using her voice and platform to spread the word.Were working with doctors, pharmacists, employers, educators, and school administrators to bring vaccines to where people are.And as Dr. Murthy will discuss, were taking disinformation and misinformation head on.We continue to see efforts to deliberately mislead the American people about the importance of vaccination. If you have symptoms, go to areas with high ventilation. Some of its advice had been twisted by the Trump administration, and her message was clear: The C.D.C. Dr. Walensky served as Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital from 2017-2020 and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2012-2020. So what Rochelle is particularly good at is understanding data about treatments and public health and costs, and putting those three sets of data together to understand, 'Well, what do we do? She earned an MPH in clinical effectiveness from the Harvard School of Public Health in 2001 after participating in the Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Womens Hospital Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program. And theyll be looking at many metrics, including case rates, vaccination rates, and the prevalence of any variants, including the Delta variant.As you heard yesterday, the President said that we will be planning to update him in the next few days on the metrics and on the public health, and we must remain vigilant, particularly about the spread of variants. Incoming CDC chief tells her family they'll be wearing masks for the She was brought up in Potomac, Maryland. Whats different now is the speed and scale at which health misinformation is spreading. And then, if there's a large gathering, consider wearing a mask. I have to fix that.". Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the C.D.C. "It was so baffling," she says. Biden has pledged to put scientists out front on COVID-19 matters, Besser noted. So, just curious if you can offer any additional color.MR. President Biden had promised that the C.D.C. Dr. Gounder, who has known Dr. Walensky since 2004 and considers her a friend, said Dr. Walensky was still the best person she could think of to lead the C.D.C. His hands are cold to the touch. "They have been diminished," she said. Tucker Carlson: Rochelle Walensky now makes the laws, and she's taking I think we should be making sure people understand because the question often gets asked, particularly among the unvaccinated If youre talking about boosting people, does that mean that the vaccines dont work? Thats not the case at all. In one of the videos, Walensky explains the basics of the two vaccines, including that they use a new type of technology, they need to be given in two doses, and they have to be kept at cold temperatures. Similar. Dr. Kenneth Freedberg was standing at his wife's bedside in a Boston hospital's intensive care unit when an . And we sent a lot of kids home and camps were closed. WALENSKY: We have seen certainly a surge in cases, a rise in cases. Shes clear, articulate and she can deliver messages with a smile. The truth is that, across our nation, the voices of doctors, nurses, scientists, and public health experts are too often being drowned out by the false sirens of misinformation. If we want to address health misinformation, well need an all-of-society response, and thats why the advisory has recommendations for everyone. When we look over time, we can put these increasing cases in perspective. floundered at the beginning of the pandemic, pilloried for its botched coronavirus test and antiquated data systems. The pandemic also exposed some CDC failures and weaknesses unrelated to politics. Truth About Rochelle Walensky Ethnicity and Parents I literally cried the night that I found out that Rochelle was going to be C.D.C. She was six feet tall, he was 5-foot-8 and she just caught my eye, he recalled. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks at a coronavirus briefing in December 2020. Is the rate of younger people being hospitalized by coronavirus now any different than what we were seeing at other during other surges in the pandemic? If and when. If you have areas of low vaccination and high case rates, then I would say local policymakers might consider whether masking at that point would be something that would be helpful for their community until they scale up their vaccination rates because more people than not in the community are unvaccinated.SURGEON GENERAL MURTHY: And, Jeff, can I just add MR. Walensky told the medical journal JAMA last month that she'll welcome straight talk from the scientists at the CDC as well. I think people have had some more time to read about and think about the vaccine, he said. and made similar arguments about the pricing of Gileads Covid drug remdesivir. This top tier agency, world-renowned, hasn't really been appreciated over the last four years and really markedly over the last year or so. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. He wants his life back," she told lawmakers. Americans everywhere are going to be gathering with their families and other loved ones to celebrate the holidays. One of her most prominent papers calculated that HIV drugs had given American patients at least 3 million more years of life. This is amazing!' Things You Must Check Before Ordering Clip-In Extensions Online. You can read the full advisory at SurgeonGeneral.gov/HealthMisinformation.Thanks for your time. And when we get enough information to make that decision, then that decision will be forthcoming. There are two things happening at the same time, she said. Which Pigmentation Removal Cream Works Best on Dark Spots & Suntan? Enable breaking news notifications straight to your internet browser. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said more than 4.1 million adolescents 12 to 17 have been vaccinated so far, including over half a million 12-15-year-olds who have lined up to get a shot since the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for adolescents earlier this month. And communities that are fully vaccinated are generally faring well.You can see the patterns of local outbreaks in the slide of community transmission. She will succeed Dr. Robert Redfield, 69, who came to the CDC with a similar resume as an outsider from academia. At Vanderbilt, weve been doing Covid Vaccine 101, 102, 103, 104, said Schaffner, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Take a COVID test if you have symptoms. Dr. Rochelle is a member of Boston COVID-19 Advisory Board. The agencys handling of the COVID-19 outbreak began in a similar way. WALENSKY: The messaging that we're using in terms of protecting older people from COVID but also from other respiratory pathogens - and including influenza and RSV, both of which impact older. Covid remains her focus for now, and the flawed communications in recent weeks suggest that she is still finding her way. Stay up to date with everything Boston. The question is, how does she acknowledge those and learn from those and move forward from there?. Mistrust of the coronavirus vaccine was a major topic of discussion at an ACIP meeting last week. In 2019, she testified before Congress about the prohibitive cost of preventive therapy and treatments for H.I.V. Last summer, after protests over the death of George Floyd, more than 1,200 C.D.C. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. In the mid-1990s, as a medical student and resident at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Walensky saw firsthand the impact of AIDS, which became the focus of her research. And that is to get your COVID-19 vaccine, get your influenza vaccine and to do so now because you'll be - if you get it now, you'll be protected by the holidays. Second, unfortunately, if you have symptoms, if you are feeling unwell, we are going to ask you to stay home. We encourage that people get vaccinated on schedule three or four weeks after your first dose. Walensky is an expert on AIDS and HIV. The test kit problem was tied to laboratory contamination at the agencys Atlanta headquarters a sign of sloppiness. And were seeing it in the data. And those happening now are even more tragic because they are preventable. Go present to your physician for other tests like for RSV or influenza. COVID response adviser Andy Slavitt said his son has symptoms 6 months later. What Rochelle will have is instant credibility with the practicing community. Dr. William Schaffner, a longtime adviser to the CDC on vaccines, said Walensky, a practicing infectious disease specialist, is well positioned to encourage health care professionals to take the shot. And then some more protection against hospitalization, severe disease, yes. The Race : TV NEWS : Search Captions. Borrow Broadcasts : TV Archive Im encouraged by these commitments because turning the tide against health misinformation will take all of us. Rochelle Paula Walensky (Bersoff) - Genealogy - geni family tree ZIENTS: And, Kaitlan, on the second question, well defer to the FDA. He calls Rochelle his "Wonder Woman" and still remembers when he first saw her 30 years ago, in the cafeteria of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where they were both students. Scenes from Mass General were still fresh in her mind when she arrived at the C.D.C. MR. ZIENTS: Dr. Fauci?DR. A highway sign in Vancouver, Wash., the day after the state lifted its mask mandate for fully vaccinated adults. Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky were among the witnesses testifying on ending the pandemic at a hearing held by the House Coronavirus Crisis Subcommittee. Post-Workout Nutrition Advice to Make the Most of Your Sweat Session! Shell take the helm of CDC at perhaps its most critical moment. She earned her MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. White House officials also took steps to try to control the CDCs scientific reports and the guidance on its website. At the time, there was a growing body of evidence . By late 2020, reports that the Trump administration had rewritten recommendations purported to be from agency experts further damaged public trust. Loren Walensky recalls coming home one day to find her sitting at the kitchen table working on extremely complex math. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope. "I said 'Oh, my God!' After medical school, Rochelle Walensky trained in a hospital medical unit so tough it was compared to the Marines. And so why its so important for yourself, your family, and your community to get vaccinated. That was a big oversight.. And so we are hopeful that those trends will continue. Full Biography Director Speaker Request Meet Our Leadership Team Spotlight Jim Pirkle, MD, PhD, serves as ADLSS and OLSS Director. In interviews, several said the morale had drastically improved. Thats why I issued the Surgeon General Advisory. I dont know if the CDC is broken or just temporarily injured, but something must be done to bring it back to health, said Timothy Westmoreland, a Georgetown University law professor focused on public health. Dr. Walensky, right, with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden administrations pandemic adviser, left, and Dr. David Kessler of Operation Warp Speed, at a House subcommittee meeting in April. And this week, at the request of the Nevada governor, we are deploying more than a hundred people to the state to help enhance vaccine access and support vaccine outreach efforts.And were providing CDCs technical expertise including on genetic sequencing, data analysis, and outbreak response to Missouri to help support the state in its response.We stand ready to support our state partners with the help they need to curb the spread of the virus and increase vaccinations in their states.And finally, we continue to be prepared for any and every scenario, including the possibility of booster shots, if and when the science shows they are needed.At this time, the CDC and FDA have said Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot. She has been nominated by President-elect Joe Biden as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are saying we don't really want people to gather if they're feeling unwell. Her openness signaled her genuine anguish about the state of the pandemic, he added. Dr. Walensky also has her eye trained on racial equity in health care within the ranks of C.D.C. CDC Head Rochelle Walensky Aims To Rebuild Agency With Straight Talk On Next question.DR. But this time, the Biden transition team named Walensky in advance, so she could take the agencys reins even before her boss is in place. MR. ZIENTS: Thank you, Dr. Walensky.Next question. Tenants . "I would lie down in traffic for her," says Elizabeth Barks, the infectious disease division's administrative director at Mass General. She is known for her role in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Slavitt said he knows it may be easy for young people to think COVID-19 doesn't affect them because they may feel healthy and be asymptotic but emphasized that experts still don't know enough about the long-term effects of the disease. This year, it got to zero and I told him he wasn't going.". Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "I think they've been muzzled that science hasn't been heard. They'd all been helping each other through the brutal pandemic year, she says, but feeling like they got little to no help from the federal government. Dr. Fauci and Dr. Robert Redfield, Dr. Walenskys predecessor, in March 2020. MODERATOR: Kaitlan Collins at CNN. Dr Rochelle Walensky Parents Nationality, Family and Husband: 10 Facts The White House "And I think our entire division would lie down in traffic for her.". In fact, in the past week, the five states with the highest case rates Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, and Nevada had a higher rate of people getting newly vaccinated compared to the national average.At the same time, our COVID-19 Surge Response Teams are working with governors and local public health officials to provide specific federal resources and capabilities to fight outbreaks due to the spread of the Delta variant.We are already helping many states to identify and address specific needs, including testing, therapeutics, and vaccinations. MR. ZIENTS: So, Dr. Fauci on breakthrough cases. The C.D.C. Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, is the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. itself. In January, shown in the middle of the slide, we were averaging nearly 200,000 cases per day. director than my previous 18 predecessors, and sort of a different kind of character in public health.. Even when it's bad news. Get to know Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Biden's CDC director pick. Beyond unmuzzling her agency's staff, she vows to tackle many other challenges, pushing particularly hard on the vaccine rollout and rebuilding the public health system. would no longer bend to political meddling. Younger unvaccinated people weve spoken to believe they will likely be fine if they get infected with coronavirus. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/10/health/walensky-cdc-covid.html. Dr. Rochelle Walensky takes over at CDC - forward.com Eventually, she became his boss. NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Center for Disease Prevention and Control Director Rochelle Walensky about the "tripledemic.". Here's what they learned (2020), NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 02: Two men have a conversation while socially distancing and wearing masks in Central Park during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on December 02, 2020 in New York City. Meet the Team She worked with Dr. Ken Freedberg, a leading expert on how money is best spent in medicine. Well, we're going to put that question now to CDC director Rochelle Walensky. I know youve said and other persons have also said that theyre not needed now. My kids jumped up. "It wasn't even just that we didn't know what the government was doing. is demonstrably different from that of her predecessor, Dr. Robert R. Redfield. Contact: Media Relations. She was born in 1969 in Peabody, Massachusetts, U.S. She received an AB summa cum laude in biochemistry and molecular biology from Washington University in St. Louis. Next Post: Readout of President Joe Bidens Participation in the APEC Virtual Leaders Retreat, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/07/16/press-briefing-by-white-house-covid-19-response-team-and-public-health-officials-45/?utm_source=link, Office of the United States Trade Representative, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/COVID-Press-Briefing_16July2021_for-transcript.pdf. She saw many people die. That black hole in your chest, you feel like youre being sucked into it. MR. ZIENTS: So, lastly, on international travel, you know, weve made, as we talked about today, important progress on the pandemic. She has weighed in often and publicly about coronavirus policy and medicine, speaking to journalists with a natural candor that's contrasted with the stiffer style of some federal officials. I am so grateful to @JoeBiden @KamalaHarris and @Transition46 for their faith in this truly remarkable woman. And please do it to protect your young children who, right now, cant get vaccinated themselves. Folks across the political spectrum have had reason to doubt the veracity and accuracy, sometimes, of CDCs messages, said Adriane Casalotti of the National Association of County and City Health Officials. ROCHELLE WALENSKY: Thanks so much for having me, Ailsa. WALENSKY: The messaging that we're using in terms of protecting older people from COVID but also from other respiratory pathogens - and including influenza and RSV, both of which impact older people with more severity as well - is prevention mechanisms such as flu vaccine and COVID vaccination, really critically important. I will provide an update on how were working on a number of fronts to manage this virus. But many felt the agency had rushed the decision to end mask use without considering parts of the country where infections were still high, and without grasping the mistrust and culture clashes the new advice would engender. Please.DR. On May 12, 2021, CDC recommended use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in people aged 12 years and up based on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in adolescents following clinical trials. Biden unveils health team that will lead pandemic response. Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on But, importantly, over 97 percent of people who are entering the hospital right now are unvaccinated. Why a Covid-19 vaccine doesn't mean that you can stop wearing a mask. And she likens the call she got from the Biden administration to a hospital alarm that goes off when a patient is in cardiac arrest. She ordered the hospital staff to wear masks before it became the national norm, and advised the mayor of her town and the governor on testing and prevention of Covid-19. And if you look at the far right of the slide, as of just a couple of days ago, they are very low. Dr. Walensky was not on the Bidens administrations initial list of candidates for C.D.C. Were seeing more and more nurses and health care providers say theyd rather wait to accept the vaccine, Dr. Jos Romero, chairman of the panel, said at the meeting Saturday. Her targets have included the uneven transmission-prevention measures that were in place last summer and a prominent Trump advisers endorsement of a herd immunity approach that would let the virus run free. Every American 12 and older, no matter where they live, has vaccines readily available to them. Today, Dr. Walensky will provide an update on the state of the pandemic and the Delta variant. Dr. Walensky, a widely respected infectious disease expert known for her battles with drug companies over prohibitive prices, seemed ideally suited. Walensky did not respond to interview requests from The Associated Press. Biddinger said he thinks health care workers attitudes might have changed since then. The video, plus another video Walensky appears in, are part of an effort to help educate hospital employees about the coronavirus vaccines, according to Dr. Paul Biddinger, director of emergency preparedness for Mass General Brigham. She is a past Chair of Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council at the National Institutes of Health, Chair-elect of the HIV Medical Association, and has previously served as an advisor to both the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. So does that mean were not going to see full approval for their vaccine until January 2022? WALENSKY: Good morning. Thank you for taking my question. And its great to be with all of you again today. How to be Extra Cautious with Your Skin during Seasonal Transitions? We are ready for whatever the science tells us.We have secured enough vaccine supply, and, if needed, we will ensure Americans who might need a booster shot are able to get it quickly and easily. ZIENTS: Dr. Walensky, do you want to take the second question? Technology companies have enabled misinformation to poison our information environment with little accountability to their users. They will know that she knows what its like to be at the bedside of a very sick patient, he said. Now a new CDC director is arriving to a mammoth task: reasserting the agency while the pandemic is in its deadliest phase yet and the nations largest-ever vaccination campaign is wracked by confusion and delays. Were asking people to raise their bar for sharing health information by checking sources before they share information to ensure its backed by credible, scientific sources. 2. [1] She will replace Dr. Robert Redfield, who assumed the role in March 2018.