The CDC can put the ‘public’ back in public health by focusing on serving everyday people first. The CDC has traditionally seen its “customers” primarily as local, state, and federal governments, but it should shift its focus to serving the public directly. To achieve this, the CDC should prioritize communication and transparency, making its guidance and recommendations clear and accessible to the public. The CDC should also work to build trust with the public by being honest about what it knows and what it doesn’t know, and by acknowledging and addressing concerns and questions from the public.
Additionally, the CDC should continue to prioritize monitoring the impact of COVID-19 and the effectiveness of prevention and control strategies, even after the end of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration on May 11, 2023. The CDC has been working for many months to fold the agency’s COVID-19 emergency response activities into its existing structure and programs, as part of an ongoing transition to sustainable public health practice. The agency has also been working with partners, including states and local territories, to prepare for the end of the PHE declaration and communicate updated reporting requirements and cadences.
The CDC should also continue to provide clear guidance on how to protect oneself and others from COVID-19. This includes basic health and hygiene practices like handwashing, as well as more specific prevention actions like building a personal COVID-19 plan and staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
Finally, the CDC should continue to prioritize the 10 Essential Public Health Services, which provide a framework to protect and promote the health of all people in all communities. These services include creating, championing, and implementing policies, plans, and laws that impact health, utilizing legal and regulatory actions designed to improve and protect the public’s health, and building and supporting a diverse and skilled public health workforce.
What is the CDC’s role in public health?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health. The CDC has a broad mandate to address health, safety, and security threats both at home and abroad. The CDC’s role in public health includes:
Protecting Americans’ health Promoting healthy lifestyles
Researching disease and injury prevention
Detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious diseases
Providing technical support to partner nations to meet global health security goals
Coordinating with other parts of the U.S. government and partner nations to prevent avoidable epidemics, detect threats early, and rapidly and effectively respond
Providing clear guidance on how to protect oneself and others from COVID-19
Prioritizing the 10 Essential Public Health Services, which provide a framework to protect and promote the health of all people in all communities.
