Rochelle Walensky Leaves a CDC That’s Far More Powerful Than When She Entered It

May 08, 2023

Under Walensky, the CDC’s voluntary guidance was anything but.

by Robby Soave Reason.com

Rochelle Walensky is resigning from her post as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has overseen the agency since the beginning of President Joe Biden’s term and greatly expanded the CDC’s authority.

Walensky’s reign was chiefly characterized by her extreme reluctance to reverse the CDC’s support for ongoing pandemic restrictions. When she took the helm in January 2021, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout was just getting underway, and there was good reason to believe that the most vulnerable people would soon enjoy robust protection from severe disease and death. Walensky, however, was not inclined to let the CDC’s influence wane. For instance, she repeatedly extended the CDC’s eviction moratorium, a policy that made it extremely difficult for landlords to collect rent; the Supreme Court finally struck down the illegal order in August 2021.