Federal health workers are demanding immediate action from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. following a devastating shooting at CDC headquarters that exposed the dangerous consequences of anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation campaigns.
How Kennedy’s anti-vaccine rhetoric contributed
The unprecedented letter from 750 current and former employees represents a direct challenge to Kennedy’s leadership and his role in undermining public trust in health institutions. This coordinated response highlights the growing fear among federal workers that inflammatory rhetoric from their leadership has created a climate of hostility and violence against public health professionals. The shooting serves as a stark reminder that words have consequences, and federal employees are no longer willing to remain silent about threats to their safety.
More than 750 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services staff have urged Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to guarantee federal health workers’ safety following a shooting this month at the U.S. CDC, according to a letter released on Wednesday.
The signatories, including former leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as past principal deputy director Anne Schuchat, urged HHS by September 2 to tighten emergency procedures and alerts.
They also pushed the agency to remove high-profile online targeting of federal workers, including so-called “DEI watchlists” that list CDC staff and their personal information.
“The deliberate destruction of trust in America’s public health workforce puts lives at risk. We urge you to act in the best interest of the American people – your friends, your families, and yourselves,” the letter said, noting that the signatories signed in a personal capacity.
They included nearly 400 current employees, many of whom signed anonymously for fear of retaliation, CDC physician Anna Yousaf told Reuters, speaking in a personal capacity.
CDC shooting exposes deadly consequences
Georgia investigators said last week that a gunman had fired nearly 200 rounds at six CDC buildings in Atlanta on August 8, killing police officer David Rose, before taking his own life. Writings found in his home expressed discontent with the COVID-19 vaccine, they said.
The CDC tightened security following the attack, having most employees work from home this week and removing vehicle decals showing where they work.
Following the shooting, Kennedy said in a post on X that “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others”.
Wednesday’s letter, also signed by staff at the National Institutes of Health and other HHS agencies, urged Kennedy to publicly disavow false or misleading claims about vaccines and infectious disease and to affirm the CDC’s nonpartisan, evidence-based scientific integrity.
What federal employees demand from Kennedy: Ensure workplace safety and security
It accused Kennedy of undermining public health by attacking CDC staff credibility, firing key personnel, and misusing data to falsely link childhood vaccines to autism.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has moved swiftly to reshape vaccine, food, and medicine policy as HHS secretary, most notably by firing all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel last June.
The letter from department staff also went to Congress and the White House, an accompanying press release said.
The comprehensive demands outlined in the letter represent more than just workplace safety concerns—they constitute a fundamental challenge to Kennedy’s authority and his systematic dismantling of public health infrastructure. Federal employees are essentially asking their secretary to repudiate his core beliefs and policy agenda, highlighting the unprecedented nature of this internal rebellion.
The fact that the letter was also sent to Congress and the White House suggests that HHS staff have lost confidence in Kennedy’s ability to protect them and are seeking intervention from higher authorities to ensure their safety and preserve the integrity of public health institutions.
GCN.com/Reuters
