CDC orders changes after confusing COVID-19 pandemic response

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 06: A view of the sign of Center for Disease Control headquarters is seen in Atlanta, Georgia, United States on August 06, 2022. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) NEW YORK (AP) - The head of the nation’s top public health agency on Wednesday announced a shake-up of the organization, saying it fell short responding to COVID-19 and needs to become more nimble.The planned changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — CDC leaders call it a "reset"— come amid criticism of the agency’s response to COVID-19, monkeypox and other public health threats.

The changes include internal staffing moves and steps to speed up data releases.The CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, told the agency’s staff about the changes on Wednesday.

It’s a CDC initiative, and was not directed by the White House or other administration officials, she said.RELATED: Most people infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant didn’t know it, study says"I feel like it’s my my responsibility to lead this agency to a better place after a really challenging three years," Walensky told The Associated Press.From malaria to the COVID-19 pandemic, here is a look at the CDC's history and the health of the United States.The Atlanta-based agency, with a $12 billion budget and more than 11,000 employees, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats.

It’s customary for each CDC director to do some reorganizing, but Walensky’s action comes amid a wider demand for change.The agency has long been criticized as too ponderous, focusing on collection and analysis of data but not acting quickly against new health threats.