"Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans. We have all benefited from her service and dedication to public health, and I wish her the best in her next chapter," the statement said.
The US president thanked Walensky for saving lives and being on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Walensky assumed the role of the head of CDC on January 2021, just as the Biden White House was set to role out the US vaccination program. She will step down at the end of June.
Walensky became one of the key figures in the Biden administration responsible for developing a list of measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, and actively advocated for the vaccination of Americans.
In a separate statement issued by the CDC, it was pointed out that Walensky "helped restore morale and a sense of normalcy to an agency that had been enduring significant public adversity related to the COVID-19 pandemic."
Earlier on Friday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus officially declared an end to the organization’s assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic as a "global health emergency," but emphasized that the novel coronavirus still poses a threat.