CDC Director Rochelle Walensky calls it quits



Rochelle Walensky is resigning as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She will step down on June 30.

Walensky, who claimed in 2021 that vaccinated people "don't get sick," led the push for masking, vaccination efforts, and testing throughout the pandemic. She assumed the role of CDC director in January 2021, having been selected by President Joe Biden.

In addition to receiving significant criticism for pushing novel vaccines on the American public, including resilient children, she was blasted for a "totalitarian" move in August 2021, when the CDC, under her leadership, extended the moratorium on rental evictions. At the time, Tucker Carlson told his former Fox News audience "Rochelle Walensky now makes the laws."

The outgoing CDC director also discounted warnings from an agency advisory panel about booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine and recommended them anyway, to the Biden White House's satisfaction.

The CDC, under her direction, was recently criticized for colluding with teachers' unions on its school reopening guidance, which halted the full reopening of in-person classes and proved ruinous.

Walensky's resignation comes just six days before the COVID-19 public health emergency's expiry date.

Biden said in a statement that Walensky is leaving the "CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans," alleging that Americans "have all benefited from her service and dedication to public health."

Walensky told her staff in an email, "I took on this role with the goal of leaving behind the dark days of the pandemic and moving the C.D.C. — and public health — into a much better and more trusted place," reported the New York Times.

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Get a COVID-19 booster so that you can safely go eat donuts, LA Public Health urges



The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is making a questionable pitch for COVID-19 booster shots by urging the public to get jabbed so that they can safely head out to eat donuts.

"REDISCOVER YOUR MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS," text declares on a photo of Randy's Donuts, an establishment located in Inglewood, California. "Indulge Safely, Get Boosted."

LA Public Health's tweet included English and Spanish versions of the graphic.

The text of the tweet is in Spanish, but according to a translation, it says, "Where will you rediscover your midnight cravings? Visit http://vacunatelosangeles.com for information on mask use, tests, immunizations, and medications. So you can safely enjoy while having a bite!"

\u201c\u00bfD\u00f3nde redescubrir\u00e1 sus antojos de medianoche? Visite https://t.co/clmgUr4neN para obtener informaci\u00f3n sobre el uso de mascarillas, pruebas, vacunas y medicamentos. \u00a1Para que pueda disfrutar de forma segura mientras toma un bocado!\u201d
— LA Public Health (@LA Public Health) 1669684025

In another tweet, the department drew a bizarre parallel between upgrading to a newer phone and getting an updated COVID-19 booster shot.

"You've updated your phone – why not update your booster?" the department tweeted.

\u201cYou\u2019ve updated your phone \u2013 why not update your booster?\n \nUpdated boosters work against the original COVID strain & new strains like omicron & can be taken at least 2 months after any primary series or booster.\n \nFind a location to get boosted at https://t.co/UVkFi7uO8G.\u201d
— LA Public Health (@LA Public Health) 1669753278

"COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations, including recommended boosters," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asserts.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky tested positive for COVID-19 last month, took a course of Paxlovid, tested negative, but then tested positive again — she had received an updated vaccine shot in September.

"COVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness," Walensky tweeted earlier this month.

\u201cCOVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness.\u201d
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1667918175

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who had received a bivalent booster, tested positive earlier this month after returning from Egypt.

"I am very grateful to be experiencing only mild symptoms after being fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, including the latest bivalent booster," the Democratic governor said in a statement. "I especially encourage all New Mexicans to get the latest bivalent COVID-19 booster in order to stay best protected," she said in the statement.

Bill Clinton tests positive for COVID-19, urges people to get vaccinated and boosted



Former President Bill Clinton announced that he tested positive for COVID-19, noted that he is thankful he is vaccinated and boosted, and encouraged others to get the vaccine jabs as well.

"I've tested positive for Covid. I've had mild symptoms, but I'm doing fine overall and keeping myself busy at home. I'm grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, which has kept my case mild, and I urge everyone to do the same, especially as we move into the winter months," he tweeted.

\u201cI\u2019ve tested positive for Covid. I\u2019ve had mild symptoms, but I\u2019m doing fine overall and keeping myself busy at home.\n\u00a0\nI\u2019m grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, which has kept my case mild, and I urge everyone to do the same, especially as we move into the winter months.\u201d
— Bill Clinton (@Bill Clinton) 1669835474

Clinton served as president from early 1993 though early 2001. His wife Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election to Republican candidate Donald Trump — she had previously served as secretary of state during a portion of President Barack Obama's White House tenure and, before that, as a U.S. senator from the state of New York.

Earlier this year, Hillary Clinton announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19.

"Well, I've tested positive for COVID. I've got some mild cold symptoms but am feeling fine. I'm more grateful than ever for the protection vaccines can provide against serious illness. Please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already!" she tweeted in March.

\u201cWell, I've tested positive for COVID. I've got some mild cold symptoms but am feeling fine. I'm more grateful than ever for the protection vaccines can provide against serious illness. Please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already!\u201d
— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1647988222

Earlier this month, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry tested positive for COVID-19.

"Secretary Kerry is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt," spokesperson Whitney Smith said in a statement, according to the New York Times. "He is fully vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms."

Last month, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky tested positive, took a course of Paxlovid, tested negative, but then tested positive again.

"COVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness," Walensky noted earlier this month in a tweet.

\u201cCOVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness.\u201d
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1667918175

University of Notre Dame mandates bivalent COVID-19 jab to enroll for 2023-2024 academic year, 'including students studying or performing research remotely and/or virtually'



The University of Notre Dame is requiring students to receive a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine shot in order to enroll in courses for the 2023-2024 academic year, including scholars who will be learning remotely.

"All students are required to be fully vaccinated or receive an exemption before arriving on campus for the 2022-23 academic year," the school states on a webpage about its student vaccination mandate. "Additionally, as an extension of the University’s existing COVID-19 vaccination requirement, the COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine is required of all students - undergraduate, graduate, and professional, including students studying or performing research remotely and/or virtually - as a condition of enrollment for the 2023-24 academic year."

The private educational institution, which describes itself as being "defined by its Catholic character," says that students may seek medical or religious exemptions to its COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

"Exemptions are determined on a case-by-case basis, and in each case must be supported by specific documentation," the school states. "Returning students who received a religious exemption from the University's vaccination requirement will automatically receive exemptions for the 2022-23 academic year and the 2023-24 academic year," the university also indicates. "Students on campus attending programs that last fewer than 7 days are exempt from the requirement, though vaccination is still strongly recommended."

Mary Frances Myler, whose Twitter profile indicates that she is a post-graduate fellow with the school's Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, tweeted an image of a message in which University Health Services Director Edward P. Junkins informed students about the bivalent booster mandate and said that those who had previously obtained a COVID-19 vaccination mandate exemption will also be exempt from the bivalent shot requirement.

\u201cAs of today, Notre Dame will require yet ANOTHER round of the vaccine for students. The pandemic ended, but the Covid Regime remains fully intact and detached from reality.\u201d
— Mary Frances Myler (@Mary Frances Myler) 1668474236

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky received a bivalent booster in September but later tested positive for COVID-19 in October. Walensky took a course of Paxlovid and then tested negative, but she then tested positive again later in October.

"Thank you to my family and CDC staff for support while I recovered from COVID-19. I am fortunate to have only had mild symptoms, which I credit to being up to date on my #COVID19 vaccines," Walensky said in a tweet posted to the @CDCDirector Twitter account earlier this month. "COVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness," she tweeted.

\u201cCOVID-19 vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they do provide us important protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. My updated #COVID19 vaccine helped ensure my immune system was equipped to protect me against severe illness.\u201d
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1667918175

Biden gets updated COVID-19 vaccine shot and urges others to do the same; White House pushes vaccination with cringey video



President Joe Biden received an updated COVID-19 vaccine shot on Tuesday after delivering remarks in which he strongly urged other people to do the same. In the Biden administration's push for people to get vaccinated, the White House has released a cringeworthy video.

"Update ... your COVID vaccine. It's incredibly effective. But the truth is, not enough people are getting it," Biden said before getting the shot on Tuesday.

President Biden Receives his Updated COVID-19 Vaccine and Delivers Remarks www.youtube.com

The president, who has been a prominent vaccine-pusher throughout his tenure, tested positive for COVID-19 in July despite having been fully vaccinated and boosted twice — a statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the time noted that Biden had "very mild symptoms" and started taking Paxlovid.

But later, after testing negative several times, the president tested positive again: "This in fact represents 'rebound' positivity," physician to the president Kevin O'Connor noted in a memo in July. "The President has experienced no reemergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well."

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky tested positive for COVID-19 last week despite having already received an updated shot in September. A press release noted that Walensky tested positive but that she was "up to date with her vaccines" and was only "experiencing mild symptoms."

"Today, I received my updated #COVID19 vaccine!" a tweet last month on the @CDCDirector Twitter account declared. "Laboratory data suggest these updated vaccines provide increased protection against currently circulating variants. If you received your last COVID-19 vaccine >2 mo. ago, I encourage you to join me & get your updated vaccine now."

\u201cToday, I received my updated #COVID19 vaccine!\n\nLaboratory data suggest these updated vaccines provide increased protection against currently circulating variants. If you received your last COVID-19 vaccine >2 mo. ago, I encourage you to join me & get your updated vaccine now.\u201d
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1663872956

As the Biden administration presses people to go get another jab, the White House posted a video on social media that features coughing sounds and anxiety-provoking music as text on the screen warns, "You can't see it! But you can hear it!"

"Get your annual COVID vaccine shot before Halloween," text on the screen declares, "and avoid a spooky Thanksgiving."

\u201cAvoid a spooky Thanksgiving.\n \nhttps://t.co/5SMDHKKopq.\u201d
— The White House (@The White House) 1666712125

Stunning new data shows risk of death from Omicron is 91% lower than Delta, CDC-funded study says



The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is far milder than Delta, according to a new study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The eye-opening data revealed that those infected with the Omicron variant are 91% less likely to die than those who are infected than the Delta strain.

The clinical study was conducted by Kaiser Permanente Southern California health care system – which operates 138 medical offices and 13 medical centers, plus has an affiliation with 37 community hospitals in Southern California. The study analyzed 52,297 Omicron cases and 16,982 Delta cases in Southern California between Nov. 30, 2021, and Jan. 1, 2022.

The study found that those infected with the Omicron variant were 53% less likely to have symptomatic hospitalization, had 74% less chance of being administered to the intensive care unit, and had a 91% lower risk of death compared to individuals with the Delta variant. Only one person of the more than 52,000 people with Omicron died, versus 14 deaths in the 16,982 with Delta. In addition, there were zero patients with Omicron who required mechanical ventilation, according to the research.

"Hospital admissions occurred among 235 (0.5%) and 222 (1.3%) of cases with Omicron and Delta variant infections, respectively," the authors of the study said.

Patients infected with Omicron had a median duration of hospital stay of three fewer days than those with Delta.

"During a period with mixed Delta and Omicron variant circulation, SARS-CoV-2 infections with presumed Omicron variant infection were associated with substantially reduced risk of severe clinical endpoints and shorter durations of hospital stay," the authors of the study concluded.

The CDC-funded study – which has not yet been peer-reviewed – did not reveal the ages of those who died or their vaccination status.

On Wednesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky shared the study on Twitter.

Despite the promising news, Walensky tempered the optimism by saying, "While less severe, #Omicron is much more transmissible & we are seeing the unprecedented impact. Over 1M cases in a day, 99% of counties with high transmission & strained healthcare systems. Protect against #COVID19: get vaccinated + boosted, wear a mask & stay home if sick."

While speaking at a White House Covid-19 Response Team briefing on Wednesday, Walensky said public health officials will monitor "deaths over the next several weeks to see the impact of Omicron on mortality."

"Given the sheer number of cases, we may see deaths from Omicron, but I suspect the deaths we're seeing now are still from Delta," the CDC head revealed.

While less severe, #Omicron is much more transmissible & we are seeing the unprecedented impact.\n\nOver 1M cases in a day, 99% of counties with high transmission & strained healthcare systems.\n\nProtect against #COVID19: get vaccinated + boosted, wear a mask & stay home if sick.
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1642008210

The Omicron strain became the dominant variant in mid-December and now accounts for an estimated 98.3% of all new cases, according to CDC data.

There were 829,209 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. on Jan. 12 compared to 90,024 cases on Dec. 12.

On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci acknowledged how transmissible the Omicron variant is and said nearly everyone will contract it.

"Omicron, with its extraordinary, unprecedented degree of efficiency of transmissibility, will ultimately find just about everybody," Fauci told J. Stephen Morrison – senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Those who have been vaccinated ... and boosted would get exposed. Some, maybe a lot of them, will get infected but will very likely, with some exceptions, do reasonably well in the sense of not having hospitalization and death."

Also on Tuesday, U.S. Food and Drug Administration acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said that "most people are going to get COVID."

"I think it's hard to process what's actually happening right now, which is: Most people are going to get COVID," Woodcock said at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing. "And what we need to do is make sure the hospitals can still function, transportation, you know, other essential services are not disrupted while this happens."

CDC director faces criticism from all sides over statement that 75% of COVID-19 deaths have 'at least four comorbidities'



U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is being criticized from all sides over comments she made last week in an interview.

Appearing on ABC News to discuss Omicron variant death statistics, Walensky was asked about a new CDC study that found COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death. The study looked at more than 1 million people who completed primary vaccination (two shots, no booster, or one Johnson & Johnson shot) between December 2020 and October 2021. Researchers found that "severe COVID-19-associated outcomes" occurred only in only 0.015% of vaccinated people. Deaths were rare, happening in only 0.0033% of cases.

"Severe COVID-19 outcomes were defined as hospitalization with a diagnosis of acute respiratory failure, need for noninvasive ventilation (NIV), admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) including all persons requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, or death (including discharge to hospice)," the study said. "Among 1,228,664 persons who completed primary vaccination during December 2020–October 2021, a total of 2,246 (18.0 per 10,000 vaccinated persons) developed COVID-19 and 189 (1.5 per 10,000) had a severe outcome, including 36 who died (0.3 deaths per 10,000)."

The study explained that people most at risk from developing a severe outcome were older than 65, are immunosuppressed, or have at least one of six other underlying health conditions.

Digging into these results on Friday, Walensky told "Good Morning America" that the vast majority of people who died of COVID-19 after primary vaccination had at least four underlying conditions that increased their risk of serious illness. Those conditions include diabetes, and chronic kidney, cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, and liver diseases.

"The overwhelming number of deaths, over 75%, occurred in people who had at least four comorbidities. So really these were people who were unwell to begin with, and yes, really encouraging news in the context of Omicron," Walensky said, referring to deaths of vaccinated people examined in the study, not total deaths from COVID-19.

CDC director responds to criticisms on COVID-19 guidance l GMAyoutu.be

Some people on social media attacked the CDC director for allegedly speaking disrespectfully toward disabled or chronically ill people. Newsweek reported that Twitter users posted #MyDisabledLifeIsWorthy with comments criticizing Walensky for saying she was encouraged that COVID-19 deaths among the vaccinated appear limited to people with preexisting health conditions or disabilities.

"Contrary to popular belief, CDC Director, disabled people aren't just data points ... How callous to say you're encouraged by the prospect of their deaths," Imani Barbarin, a disability rights activist, wrote.

Contrary to popular belief, @CDCDirector, disabled people aren\u2019t just data points. Every life lost was loved by someone, someone\u2019s community member, someone\u2019s friend. \n\nHow callous to say you\u2019re encouraged by the prospect of their deaths. \n\n #MyDisabledLifeIsWorthy
— Imani Barbarin, MAGC | Crutches&Spice \u267f\ufe0f (@Imani Barbarin, MAGC | Crutches&Spice \u267f\ufe0f) 1641695050

Matthew Cortland, a lawyer who suffers from a chronic illness, tweeted: "It is 'encouraging' to [Walensky] that chronically ill and disabled Americans are dying ... our deaths clearly don't count."

It is "encouraging" to @CDCDirector that chronically ill & disabled Americans are dying. It's no wonder that @CDCgov has consistently refused to issue guidance protecting the health & wellbeing of chronically ill Americans \u2013 our deaths clearly don't count.pic.twitter.com/zd3iBQTH0J
— Matthew Cortland, JD (@Matthew Cortland, JD) 1641608728

Many others shared similar comments, some of them nasty. The social media backlash prompted Walensky to respond on Sunday with a tweet emphasizing the CDC's dedication to protecting people with comorbidities from COVID-19.

We must protect people with comorbidities from severe #COVID19. I went into medicine \u2013 HIV specifically \u2013 and public health to protect our most at-risk. CDC is taking steps to protect those at highest risk, incl. those w/ chronic health conditions, disabilities & older adults.
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH) 1641772496

"We must protect people with comorbidities from severe COVID-19. I went into medicine—HIV specifically—and public health to protect our most at-risk," she wrote. "CDC is taking steps to protect those at highest risk, including those with chronic health conditions, disabilities and older adults."

But the CDC director faced more backlash for entirely different reasons. Several individuals called attention to Walensky's comment that over 75% of COVID deaths were people with "at least four comorbidities." These critics took her comments out of context, leaving out the vaccination effectiveness study and claiming she was saying that 75% of all coronavirus-related deaths were from people with comorbidities.

"How many had 2/3 things that would likely kill them or were in late stage terminal cancer, or were hit by a bus?" Donald Trump Jr. asked. "Whats the # of truly healthy?"

CDC Dir. says over 75% of covid deaths were people with \u201cat least 4 comorbidities\u201d & were \u201cunwell to begin with\u201d\n\nHow many had 2/3 things that would likely kill them or were in late stage terminal cancer, or were hit by a bus?\nWhats the # of truly healthy?https://twitter.com/i/status/1480566096113680388\u00a0\u2026
— Donald Trump Jr. (@Donald Trump Jr.) 1641840437

"This means they shut down the country, stole two years of education from children, sent thousands of businesses under, and caused mass hysteria when only 209,000 deaths weren't people already deathly sick," Greg Price, a senior digital strategist for X Strategies LLC, a political consulting and digital marketing firm, said.

There have been 836,000 covid deaths in America. \n\n75% of 836K is 627,000.\n\nThis means they shut down the country, stole two years of education from children, sent thousands of businesses under, and caused mass hysteria when only 209,000 deaths weren't people already deathly sickhttps://twitter.com/LucasFoxNews/status/1480566096113680388\u00a0\u2026
— Greg Price (@Greg Price) 1641835199

These critics and others thought Walenksy's comments confirmed a long-held suspicion by many people skeptical of COVID-19 lockdowns and government mandates that reported COVID deaths were inflated by counting deaths with COVID alongside deaths from COVID.

Data from New York, for instance, shows that more than 40% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state are patients that were admitted to the hospitals for reasons other than coronavirus infection or were complications from the virus. Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) ordered hospitals to start differentiating why COVID-19 patients were initially admitted in their daily COVID reports.

Walensky was asked directly about this issue on "Fox News Sunday," hosted by Bret Baier.

"Do you know how many of the 836,000 deaths in the U.S. linked to COVID are from COVID or how many are with COVID, but they had other comorbidities? Do you have that breakdown?" asked Baier.

"Yes of course with Omicron we're following that very carefully," Walensky responded. "Our death registry of course takes a few weeks ... to collect. And of course Omicron has just been with us for a few weeks. But those data will be forthcoming."

Her non-answer only frustrated her critics, who demanded to know when that data would be released so that science, not fear of death from COVID-19, would inform policy makers with the power to close schools, businesses, and mandate masks or vaccination during a pandemic.