https://sputnikglobe.com/20211113/cdc-allegedly-felt-muzzled-by-trump-administration-was-ordered-to-alter-weekly-covid-reports-1090701378.html
CDC Allegedly Felt 'Muzzled' by Trump Administration, Was Ordered to Alter Weekly COVID Reports
CDC Allegedly Felt 'Muzzled' by Trump Administration, Was Ordered to Alter Weekly COVID Reports
Sputnik International
Democrats have repeatedly accused Donald Trump of downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to conceal or distort virus-related data. The 45th US president... 13.11.2021, Sputnik International
2021-11-13T06:06+0000
2021-11-13T06:06+0000
2022-08-06T13:26+0000
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The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were pressured by the Trump administration to alter scientific guidance and stopped from directly communicating with the public, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis has claimed.The subcommittee on Friday referred to a host of transcribed interviews with several CDC officials, including Dr Anne Schuchat, the health agency's former principal deputy director.When asked about a previous CNN report that officials felt they were "muzzled" by the Trump administration, she said: "That is the feeling that we had, many of us had".According to her, CDC officials were upset over other issues too, including the use of their public health agency to deport migrants, as well as the Trump administration's alleged attempts to tamper with the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).In a separate interview, Dr Christine Casey, an MMWR editor, referred to an email from Trump appointee and former US Health and Human Services Adviser Paul Alexander, seen by Casey as a request to stop the CDC's weekly guidance.She claimed that it was "highly unusual and quite concerning for somebody to ask to put an immediate stop on MMWR reports".The interviews also include a conversation with Dr Deborah Birx, the former White House coronavirus response coordinator, in which she mentioned the Trump administration's alleged push for guidance that said asymptomatic people did not need to be tested, despite disagreement from CDC officials.She argued that it was the intent of Dr Scott Atlas, a Trump coronavirus adviser, "to change the testing guidance".Dr Nancy Messonnier, former director of the CDC's National Centre for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases, for her part, argued in an interview that she was told then-US President Donald Trump was angry about a 25 February 2020 briefing where she warned the public of the coronavirus-related risks.Ex-CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield and former Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar then had a conversation with Messonnier that left her "upset", according to the interview.Trump's Coronavirus Response The 45th US president had long faced criticism over how the coronavirus pandemic has been addressed, with some claiming that his administration intentionally downplayed the threat that coronavirus poses.In his book "Rage" released last year, US journalist Bob Woodward described how Trump explained to him that he tried to downplay the threat of the pandemic, but claimed that he minimised the danger so as to avoid panic. Trump later that year conceded during a press conference that he did so, suggesting that he "perhaps" misled the US public.The White House declared at the time that the president "has never lied to the American public on COVID", yet admitting that he might have downplayed the severity of the pandemic because he did not "want to see chaos".Despite the criticism, Trump has repeatedly touted his administration's response to the pandemic, particularly citing widespread testing as he called for the reopening of cities and schools.
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CDC Allegedly Felt 'Muzzled' by Trump Administration, Was Ordered to Alter Weekly COVID Reports
06:06 GMT 13.11.2021 (Updated: 13:26 GMT 06.08.2022) Democrats have repeatedly accused Donald Trump of downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to conceal or distort virus-related data. The 45th US president, however, praised his administration's coronavirus response, referring to its "successful" testing campaign.
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were pressured by
the Trump administration to alter scientific guidance and stopped from directly communicating with the public, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis has claimed.
The subcommittee on Friday referred to a host of transcribed interviews with several CDC officials, including Dr Anne Schuchat, the health agency's former principal deputy director.
When asked about a previous CNN report that officials felt they were "muzzled" by the Trump administration, she said: "That is the feeling that we had, many of us had".
According to her, CDC officials were upset over other issues too, including the use of their public health agency to deport migrants, as well as the Trump administration's alleged attempts to tamper with the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
Schuchat said it took an "active effort" for her organisation "to make sure that the attempts [to alter the reports] were not successful".
In a separate interview, Dr Christine Casey, an MMWR editor, referred to an email from Trump appointee and former US Health and Human Services Adviser Paul Alexander, seen by Casey as a request to stop the CDC's weekly guidance.
She claimed that it was "highly unusual and quite concerning for somebody to ask to put an immediate stop on MMWR reports".
"I don't think in my memory that has ever happened. And, to be accused - because it is accusatory language - that MMWR content is designed to harm our commander-in-chief, the president".
The interviews also include a conversation with Dr Deborah Birx, the former White House coronavirus response coordinator, in which she mentioned the Trump administration's alleged push for guidance that said asymptomatic people did not need to be tested, despite disagreement from CDC officials.
She argued that it was the intent of Dr Scott Atlas, a Trump coronavirus adviser, "to change the testing guidance".
"This document resulted in […] less aggressive testing of those without symptoms that I believed were the primary reason for the early community spread", Birx added.
Dr Nancy Messonnier, former director of the CDC's National Centre for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases, for her part, argued in an interview that she was told then-US President Donald Trump was angry about a 25 February 2020 briefing where she warned the public of the coronavirus-related risks.
Ex-CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield and former Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar then had a conversation with Messonnier that left her "upset", according to the interview.
Trump's Coronavirus Response
The 45th US president had long faced criticism over how
the coronavirus pandemic has been addressed, with some claiming that his administration intentionally downplayed the threat that coronavirus poses.
In his book "Rage" released last year, US journalist Bob Woodward described how Trump explained to him that he tried to downplay the threat of the pandemic, but claimed that he minimised the danger so as to avoid panic. Trump later that year conceded during a press conference that he did so, suggesting that he "perhaps" misled the US public.
2 October 2021, 18:09 GMT
The White House declared at the time that the president "has never lied to the American public on COVID", yet admitting that he might have downplayed the severity of the pandemic because he did not "want to see chaos".
Despite the criticism, Trump has repeatedly touted his administration's response to the pandemic, particularly citing widespread testing as he called for the reopening of cities and schools.
