Mandy Cohen, new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was met with a flurry of questions from Republicans in her first congressional appearance regarding a resurgence of respiratory illness in China and CDC’s initial recommendations during the coronavirus pandemic. This was her chance to restore trust in the agency after it was criticized by Republicans who opposed various COVID-related measures.
Experts believe the rise in respiratory illnesses in China was due to children being more susceptible to diseases they hadn’t been exposed to while observing social distancing to avoid COVID. This was observed in the U.S. last year too. Despite the Chinese government attributing these illnesses to known pathogens and the lifting of COVID restrictions, Republican lawmakers expressed distrust, fearing a recurrence of Chinese deception during the early days of COVID-19.
Although some lawmakers requested the Biden administration to pressure China for more information, public health experts highlighted that there’s no evidence disputing the Chinese government’s explanation so far. Issues with transparency persist, and the U.S. is currently experiencing a rise in respiratory viruses, with RSV nearing its peak and flu season starting while COVID continues to drive hospitalizations for respiratory illness.
At the congressional hearing, Cohen defended the CDC’s prior guidelines for masking and COVID precautions, attributing any shortcomings to a lack of information and the lack of vaccines in the early stages of the pandemic. This hearing revealed the ongoing complexities and uncertainties surrounding public health in a rapidly evolving global situation.
