On Tuesday, April 13th, 2021, the Director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced her resignation from her position. Dr. Walensky took over the leadership of the CDC in January of 2021, and during her time in office, she went to great lengths to protect the public health of our nation.
In a statement released to the public, Dr. Walensky stated that she has accepted an invitation from Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to serve as their next Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases.
During her time as CDC Director, Dr. Walensky played an instrumental role in establishing new guidance and public-health policies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, introducing the nation to the CDC’s mask wearing guidance and overseeing the organization’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
Over the course of her tenure, Dr. Walensky kept up a rigorous schedule, often giving televised briefings on the pandemic and providing critical advice to the public about how best to protect themselves. With a doctorate in medicine from Harvard Medical School, she had the expertise and knowledge to lead the nation through its greatest pandemic in recent memory.
All of us here at the CDC thank Dr. Walensky for her tireless efforts to keep the American public safe. We wish her the best of luck in her new positions at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Chan School of Public Health.
Thank you, Dr. Walensky, for your dedication and leadership.
