The CDC wants your trust back: It’ll ‘take time to rebuild.’

Key Facts

The new CDC director spent her first two months on the job telling audiences in New York, Wisconsin and Washington state the agency has made mistakes, a mea culpa of sorts meant to show that she understands past shortcomings.
Beyond visits to states, Cohen, who became director in July, has met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill — including Republicans who have been critical of the agency — regularly appears in Instagram videos to discuss public health initiatives and is behind an agency overhaul to make data/information more accessible.
Cohen led the North Carolina health department during the height of the pandemic and said that leveling with people about what she knew — and didn’t know — helped build trust, a lesson she said she is bringing to the CDC.
At a meeting in Washington state, Cohen told health leaders to prepare clear and consistent messaging on the upcoming respiratory illness season, including how to get Covid-19 vaccines.