Currents News Staff
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is used to scrutinizing science. But now, the agency itself is under the microscope. Its director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the Department of Health will conduct a sweeping review starting next Monday.
In a memo to staff, Walensky says it’s to improve how the agency communicates with the public and consider a restructuring. That news comes the same day as a bipartisan deal Senator Mitt Romney helped negotiate for his chamber.
It’s for $10 billion dollars of COVID relief money. The measure would fund therapeutics like oral antiviral pills and it would support vaccines, testing and research. What it would not do is send money directly to the CDC. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he wants to vote on the measure this week.
“On COVID, very briefly, over the last few days my Democratic colleagues and I continue talks with Senator Romney and Republicans, working all hours of the night and into the weekend,” said Sen. Schumer.
The White House says it would like more money in the plan.
“While we’re very encouraged by the progress,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, “we’re going to need more because our objective here is going to make sure we can have funding for antivirals, the vaccines needed for, for people for many months to come.”