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Schwartz confirmed for CDC
The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday, giving the agency its first permanent leader in roughly a year.
“The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”
NBC News said the confirmation came in a 51-44 vote, with Republicans in favor and Democrats against, and it noted that Schwartz will take over from Jay Bhattacharya, who has helmed the agency since February while also directing the National Institutes of Health.
AP reported that Schwartz was confirmed with 51 votes a favor and 44 en contra, and it said she will become the 22va líder de los CDC, with sede en Atlanta.
MS NOW said Trump praised Schwartz as “a STAR!” after nominating her for the post, and it described her as a retired rear admiral for the Coast Guard who served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hearing clashes and commitments
At Schwartz’s confirmation hearing, Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., asked whether she would hypothetically obey Kennedy’s directives to stop promoting flu vaccines, and MS NOW reported that Schwartz responded, “Senator, I will always, always protect our children.”
MS NOW also reported that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asked Schwartz if she would “commit to removing information on the CDC website suggesting a link between vaccines and autism,” and it said Sanders ultimately voted against Schwartz.
NBC News quoted Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., saying, “We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,” and it described Cassidy as a physician who accused Schwartz of evading answers about challenging Kennedy.
The Guardian reported that Schwartz replied that Kennedy “will never betray the science” and that Cassidy later announced his support, while also noting public concern over an outbreak of cyclosporiasis and Kennedy’s hesitancy towards vaccines.
Outbreaks and political pressure
As CDC director, Schwartz will oversee the country’s public health response, including approving vaccine recommendations and helping contain disease outbreaks, NBC News said.
“including approving vaccine recommendations and helping contain disease outbreaks”
NBC News added that she will inherit a measles crisis, saying the U.S. has recorded its highest number of cases in 35 years, and it also described a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to shredded iceberg lettuce.
NPR said the CDC is responding to surges in measles cases, cyclosporiasis outbreaks, and an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and it quoted Dr. Demetre Daskalakis saying, “I really wish her luck in her new role.”
STAT reported that the public health world will be watching how Schwartz handles Kennedy’s aggressive vaccine policy agenda, and it noted that in the absence of a CDC director the Department of Health and Human Services moved to unilaterally reduce the number of recommended pediatric vaccines, including delaying the hepatitis B birth dose.
