CDC Ordered to End Collaborating With WHO Immediately

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told U.S. health officials to cease cooperating with the World Health Organization (WHO) immediately.

On Jan. 26, Dr. John Nkengasong, CDC senior bureau official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy, sent a memo to senior health officials at the agency to tell all staff who work with the WHO to stop immediately and “await further guidance,” the Associated Press reported. The memo said all in-person and virtual collaboration must stop, and that all CDC staff must not engage with the WHO in any way, including through technical working groups and advisory boards.

As CMM previously reported, President Trump issued an executive order last week to withdraw from the WHO. Exiting the WHO requires one-year notice from the U.S., the approval of Congress, and that the U.S. meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. Trump’s order on Jan. 20 claimed that legal notice of withdrawal was given during his first term, in 2020, so the withdrawal can happen immediately, CNN reported.

CNN also reported that Trump has recalled all CDC staff who work in CDC offices, as he announced he would in his executive order. The CDC staff has international offices in more than 60 countries, CNN reported. These offices help provide early warnings of infectious disease outbreaks.

Last week, the president also ordered all federal health agencies to cease any communications for now.