US illness control director booted in clash over Covid vaccines

(MENAFN) The Biden administration has dismissed Susan Monarez from her role as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after a dispute over COVID-19 vaccine policy led to a standoff with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The sudden firing has caused internal upheaval, prompting several senior health officials to resign in protest.

Monarez, confirmed by the Senate just weeks ago, reportedly opposed Kennedy’s agenda to roll back vaccine mandates and end emergency authorizations for COVID-19 shots. Her removal came after she declined to resign voluntarily.

“Susan Monarez is not aligned with the president’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai on Wednesday. He confirmed she had been fired after refusing to step down.

However, Monarez’s attorneys, Mark Zaid and Abbe Lowell, contested that narrative, stating she had not resigned or been officially notified of her termination. They accused Kennedy of politicizing public health and warned that her dismissal signals the systematic weakening of national health agencies.

The fallout comes amid major policy shifts, including the FDA’s recent approval of updated Moderna and Pfizer vaccines—now limited to high-risk groups—and the termination of emergency use authorizations.

Kennedy, a vocal vaccine skeptic who was appointed HHS secretary earlier this year, has led sweeping reforms such as eliminating vaccine advisory panels and slashing funding for mRNA research. On X (formerly Twitter), he praised the new vaccine strategy as one based on “science, safety, and common sense.”

Monarez refused to publicly support the changes or remove key CDC personnel, and reportedly reached out to Senate Health Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, who played a key role in Kennedy’s own confirmation process.

In response to the turmoil, at least four senior CDC officials stepped down: Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, Immunization Director Demetre Daskalakis, Infectious Disease Head Daniel Jernigan, and Data Director Jennifer Layden.

Monarez had been Trump’s second nominee for the role, following the withdrawal of former Congressman Dave Weldon over his controversial vaccine views. A pandemic-era law now requires Senate approval for CDC directors.

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