More than 750 staff members across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have issued a stark plea to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: protect those on the frontlines of public health before tragedy strikes again.
The call comes in the aftermath of the August 8th shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, where a gunman unleashed nearly 200 rounds across six CDC buildings. The assault left Officer David Rose dead before the attacker took his own life. Notes found at the shooter’s home revealed anger over COVID-19 vaccines.
The letter, signed by nearly 400 current employees—many choosing anonymity out of fear of retaliation—warns of a deteriorating climate for public health workers. Among the signatories are former CDC leaders, including past principal deputy director Anne Schuchat. Their demands: tougher emergency procedures, faster alerts, and an end to the online harassment campaigns that publish federal employees’ names on so-called “DEI watchlists.”
“The deliberate destruction of trust in America’s public health workforce puts lives at risk,” the letter states, urging Kennedy to act not just for the institution, but for families and communities that depend on it.
Since the attack, the CDC has heightened security, advised staff to work from home, and even removed vehicle decals identifying employees’ workplace. But the letter goes beyond safety measures. It also challenges Kennedy directly—calling on him to reject misinformation about vaccines and infectious disease, and to reaffirm the CDC’s scientific integrity.
That challenge carries particular weight because Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has already unsettled the department by dismissing the entire 17-member vaccine advisory panel last year and questioning CDC credibility in public forums. Staff accuse him of eroding trust, distorting data, and undermining public health protections.
The letter has been forwarded not only to Kennedy, but also to Congress and the White House. For many inside the agency, the stakes feel personal: defending not just science, but their right to do their jobs without fear of being targeted.
