By Harshit | October 13, 2025 | Atlanta, Georgia | 2:00 AM EDT
A Temporary Crisis at America’s Top Public Health Agency
Hundreds of staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who were mistakenly fired late Friday have been reinstated, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) confirmed. The erroneous layoff notifications affected roughly 1,300 employees, but union and agency officials say most have now returned to their positions.
According to the AFGE, approximately 700 staff were reinstated on Saturday, while about 600 remain temporarily laid off as the agency works to clarify the situation. “The employees who received incorrect notifications were never separated from the agency and have all been notified that they are not subject to the reduction in force,” said Andrew Nixon, director of communications for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Among those reinstated are employees responsible for publishing the CDC’s flagship journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, according to Dr. Debra Houry, who recently resigned as the agency’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science. Houry, along with other senior officials, resigned in August following the firing of recently confirmed CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez.
Critical Public Health Roles Impacted
Athalia Christie, the incident commander overseeing the CDC’s measles response, was among those mistakenly notified of termination. The annual total of measles cases in the U.S.—now 1,563 since January—is the highest since the disease was declared eliminated in the country 25 years ago, making the temporary absence of key staff particularly concerning.
Staff were also reinstated at the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, the Global Health Center, and the Public Health Infrastructure Center. The latter manages over $3 billion in grants to 107 state and local governments to help build and sustain local public health workforces, said Dr. Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, a nonprofit advocating for public health workers.
Epidemic Intelligence Service officers—often called “disease detectives” for their role as first responders to emerging health threats—also received notifications confirming that their firings were in error. “We think all staff and all officers are back,” said a CDC official who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue. These officers play a critical role in detecting outbreaks early, investigating disease clusters, and coordinating responses with local and state health departments.
Glitch Blamed for Confusion
The mistaken terminations were reportedly caused by a coding error in the automated layoff notifications, according to an HHS official. Employees affected by the glitch were promptly informed on Friday and Saturday that the notices were incorrect.
“It’s pure managerial incompetence,” said Dr. Nirav Shah, who resigned earlier this year as principal deputy director at the CDC. Experts say such errors, even if temporary, can have serious repercussions when an agency is managing public health crises.
Implications for Public Health
The brief administrative chaos occurred as the CDC continues to manage a surge in infectious diseases, including measles, Covid-19, and other vaccine-preventable illnesses. Public health experts note that such staffing errors can jeopardize critical disease surveillance, outbreak response, and ongoing vaccination campaigns.
Dr. Castrucci emphasized that even a short-term disruption in staffing could delay communication with state and local public health officials, slow vaccine distribution efforts, and impact emergency preparedness plans. “When you have key personnel temporarily unavailable, it creates gaps in coordination and can ultimately affect the public’s health,” he said.
The CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service officers are often deployed internationally to investigate emerging threats, such as outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, or other contagious diseases. A temporary absence of these officers, even for a few hours, could slow the collection of critical epidemiological data and delay containment efforts.
Restoring Trust and Stability
As of Saturday, the CDC confirmed that all impacted employees have been contacted and reinstated, allowing critical programs to resume normal operations. AFGE officials continue to monitor the situation to ensure no staff members face long-term consequences due to the erroneous notices.
“The morale of public health workers is deeply affected by administrative missteps like this,” Castrucci said. “We hope this serves as a wake-up call to prioritize stable management practices, especially in agencies charged with protecting the nation from disease threats.”
The incident highlights the importance of reliable management systems at federal health agencies, especially amid ongoing outbreaks and a growing national focus on public health preparedness.
