Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, goes over the ropes on pandemic messages on Sunday, previews: Democrats are watching the adoption of the infrastructure bill; Health experts warn of fourth wave of coronavirus Overnight care: CDC says fully vaccinated people can travel safely | Biden laments those who act as if COVID-19 are fighting | Will vaccine passports be the largest campaign number in 2022? MORE is in a delicate position as it tries to balance the growing optimism of vaccinations with the reality that the US is still in control of a deadly pandemic.
Walensky began his CDC career with a reputation as a skilled communicator, tasked with saving the reputation of an agency that took a beating under the Trump administration.
“When I started at the CDC about two months ago, I made a promise to you: I’m telling you the truth, even if it wasn’t the news we wanted to hear,” Walensky told reporters recently.
Walensky’s expertise is in HIV research, as is its predecessor Robert Redfield
Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC, pulls the string of pandemic messaging. Biologist Bret Weinstein says COVID-19 probably came from a CDC lab must cancel a wrong policy linking asylum seekers to COVID MOREand, prior to her appointment to the CDC leadership, she was head of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital.
While former colleagues say Walensky is a perfect fit for the CDC, her skills are now being tested because she faces criticism because she is both negative and too hopeful.
“She’s a pretty convincing and clear communicator, but she’s a set of challenging messages to try to get out there,” said Chris Beyrer, a professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Public health messaging during a global pandemic is complicated enough, but experts say this particular moment is particularly difficult.
After weeks of decline and then stagnation, the rate of coronavirus infections began to rise again in much of the country. Cases increased by about 12% nationally from the previous week, averaging about 62,000 cases a day, according to the CDC.
At the same time, nearly 100 million Americans have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine. Many states extend vaccine eligibility, in some cases to all adults, and federal health officials say there will be enough supply for everyone to be vaccinated by the end of May.
Walensky tried to highlight both aspects this week, when he launched an emotional appeal to the public.
“We have so much to look forward to, so many promises and potential about where we are, and so many reasons for hope. But now I’m scared,” Walensky said, adding that he has a “sense of impending doom” if people continue to ignore public health measures.
However, almost in the next breath, she spoke of a new “extremely encouraging” study, which shows that vaccinated people were 90% protected from infection, which means that they have an extremely low risk of spreading the virus.
Although this may seem like a mixed message, experts say it accurately reflects not only where things stand now, but also how the country has reacted to the virus in the past year.
“Whiplash is a true reflection of the way we all live the epidemic and the response to it. So I’d rather be honest about it and have others be honest about it than give people something they want … make them feel better, ”said Judith Auerbach, a professor at the faculty. of Medicine in San Francisco, University of California.
Auerbach, who previously worked with Walensky on HIV research, praised the director’s openness, which he said was absent from the agency’s leadership during the Trump administration.
“She’s really sincere about her own emotions. It’s hard to do for a fed up and escape,” Auerbach said. “The science that says we still have to be pretty scared because we’re in this race between vaccines … compared to the appearance of these variants and it felt at a visceral level and conveyed that in a way that -I thought quite eloquently “.
Glen Nowak, director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication at the University of Georgia and former director of media relations at the CDC, said Walensky’s sincerity helps establish credibility.
“She embraced the fact that credibility comes from being transparent, honest and genuine about your fears and concerns,” Nowak said.
The CDC declined to make Walensky available for an interview, but in a statement to The Hill, an agency spokesman said each communication reflected the latest science and epidemiology.
“Sometimes, the moments have to balance the hope that we will get out of the pandemic with the reality that we are not out of it yet,” the spokesman said.
“We recognize the challenge of conveying such hope and promise that vaccines offer with the reality that cases and deaths are on the rise. While conveying the critical message that people cannot and should not give up their preventative measures, we remain very optimistic about what the future will hold for a fully vaccinated public. ”
On Friday, Walensky was criticized again for her messages. In the updated guide, the CDC said it is safe for people who have been completely vaccinated to travel.
But Walensky warned that the CDC recommends that anyone, vaccinated or not, avoid non-essential travel because the number of infections is so high.
“We know we have an increasing number of cases right now,” Walensky said during a White House briefing. “I would argue against general travel in general. Our guidelines are silent on whether or not to recommend the vaccination of fully vaccinated people. Our guidelines speak to the safety of this.”
Nowak said that part of what makes it so difficult to convey public health messages is that science does not always deal with the absolute, and the general public does not do well with nuances.
“Often people don’t want to listen to the nuance; they want advice and guidance to be stable. He gets frustrated with the changes or when they seem contradictory. They are also frustrated if they do not fit in with their daily lives. experiences, “Nowak said.
With the travel guide, Walensky tried to describe the balance he was trying to achieve and asked the audience for patience and understanding.
“I want to acknowledge today that providing guidance in the midst of a changing pandemic and its changing science is complex,” Walensky said.
“Science shows us that full vaccination allows you to do more things safely and it is important for us to provide this guidance, even in the context of growing cases. At the same time, we need to balance science with the fact that most Americans are not yet fully vaccinated, which is likely to increase our cases, “she said.
Jen Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, who has known Walensky for decades, said he believes the CDC director is aware that he cannot escape criticism, especially when so many many people have pandemic fatigue.
If the CDC is too strict and refuses to engage in relatively normal behavior, especially after being vaccinated, it could risk people refusing to be shot, Kates said.
But if the agency gives a too rosy picture, more people could act as if the pandemic is over and risks spreading further.
“It is desirable that public officials should always be aware that their words are being heard and may be taken out of context or may be difficult for people to understand,” Kates said. “So I think Dr. Walensky is an excellent communicator, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to do and the balance is always simple.”