The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has paused more than two dozen types of diagnostic testing, such as those for rabies, monkeypox, Epstein-Barr virus, and other infectious diseases.
Andrew Nixon is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC. He said he predicts that some of the tests will be made available again in weeks ahead. In the meantime, he mentioned that the CDC will be ready to support state and local partners to have access to public health testing.
The pause in testing could be linked to the notable downsizing of the CDC in the last year. According to different estimates, CDC staffing fell by 20% to 25%, including layoffs, retirements, resignations, and non-renewal of temporary appointments.
