When Dr. Mandy Cohen walked into the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta less than two weeks ago, she knew trust in America’s top health agency was broken.
Attacks on the agency’s scientific data and sometimes confusing public policy guidance were coming from Washington lawmakers, social media and people across the country.
In her first media interview as the new CDC director, Cohen said she is refocusing the agency on rebuilding faith with more transparency and improved communication and by “bringing the best evidence that we possibly can” to the public.
“It’s an everyday, tactical plan,” she said.
“Trust” was the focus of the first meeting she had with CDC staff members. She said trust was the foundation of the hard work the agency faces as it moves forward from missteps made during the pandemic.
“If we want folks to trust us — and we do — we have to work together differently, and we have to trust each other as we’re doing that work,” she said.
New CDC director to combat vaccine misinformation, broken trust
