With Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH set to officially leave her post as director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on June 30, 2023, there has been surprisingly little attention paid to President Biden’s proposed nominee—Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH—to head up that agency. Apart from the initial media reports of the intended nomination on June 1 and a recent letter to President Biden signed by 28 Republican members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives objecting to the choice, media coverage of Dr. Cohen’s nomination has been sparse.1 2 3 4 5 6
Perhaps now that Dr. Walensky has received a final grilling from Congress for her role in the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how that may have affected the public’s declining confidence in the CDC and vaccines, there will be increased focus on Dr. Cohen, who is an internal medicine physician, and whether she’s the right person to head up the agency and help reform it and repair its credibility.7 8
“The CDC needs a cultural overhaul. So you need somebody who is able to overcome the inertia of bureaucracy to complete such an effort,” said U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.3
Dr. Cohen, who for the past year has been CEO of primary care network Aledade Care Solutions, previously served nearly six years as North Carolina’s Secretary of Health and Human Services. During the Obama administration, she served as chief operating officer and chief of staff at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In 2020, her name was reportedly “floated” as a possible pick for Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) under the Biden administration, so Dr. Cohen is apparently well known within the White House.3
Members of Congress Express Opposition to Cohen Nomination
This may explain some of the Republican opposition to Dr. Cohen, who is seen by some as too much of a partisan player in controversial COVID policies that have divided the nation. In the letter sent to President Biden by Republican Senators and Representatives, they wrote:
Dr. Cohen is unfit for the position. Throughout her career, Dr. Cohen has politicized science, disregarded civil liberties, and spread misinformation about the efficacy and necessity of COVID vaccinations and the necessity of masks, during her time as the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
While Dr. Cohen claims to have acted on scientific data, her account of her decision- making during the pandemic indicates that she merely arbitrarily copied her friends’ actions in similar positions of power, without considering scientific evidence or the decisions of elected officials.6
The letter also cites Dr. Cohen’s “affiliation” with the COVID lockdowns, which some members of Congress believe will make it “difficult for the American people to trust” her lead the CDC as a “non-partisan actor who makes objective decisions rooted in scientific data, and not in political expediency.”6
Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association (APHA), believes it is important during this period of transition and politicization for the CDC to stay on a mission. “Trust comes when people know you’re going to do what you’re supposed to do,” he said.3
It is unclear how committed the President is to backing Dr. Cohen’s nomination. The CDC post is not subject to confirmation by the Senate, as are department secretaries or the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But it’s looking as if Dr. Cohen is a controversial pick for an agency that is already mired in a lot of controversy.
If you would like to receive an e-mail notice of the most recent articles published in The Vaccine Reaction each week, click here.
Click here to view References:1 C-SPAN. Centers for Disease Control Director Testifies on COVID-19 Policies. June 13, 2023.
2 Chappell B. Rochelle Walensky, who led the CDC during the pandemic, resigns. NPR May 5, 2023.
3 Cohen A. Biden to pick Mandy Cohen to lead the CDC. Roll Call June 1, 2023.
4 Stolberg SG, Mandavilli A. Biden Is Said to Pick Former North Carolina Health Secretary to Lead C.D.C. The New York Times June 1, 2023.
5 Craver R. Budd submits letter opposing potential Cohen nomination to lead CDC. Winston-Salem Journal June 14, 2023.
6 Congress of the United States. Budd-Biden-CDC-Director-Nomination. June 13, 2023.
7 Choi J. Walensky faces COVID-19 panel for final time as CDC director. The Hill June 13, 2023.
8 Payerchin R. Lawmakers grill CDC Director Walensky over COVID-19 pandemic response. Medical Economics June 13, 2023.
12 Responses
The temporary lockdowns and mandatory masking were reasonable measures for the government to take for COVID.
Mandatory vaccination requirements for employment was over the line in my opinion; they should have at least allowed leaves of absence instead of firing for non-vaccinators.
Thankfully these measures were temporary.
The Republican objections are the usual Orwellian garbage. “Politicizing science”. My god. The arrogance. The presumption. Nothing more than partisan scorched-earth obstruction we’ve come to expect from the likes of them.
I’m concerned about this website claiming to be a place for “enlightened conversation” while presenting this quote as if it had merit.
What about the Indiana doctor who was reprimanded and fined by the state attorney general for talking to a newspaper about providing an abortion to a ten year old rape victim? Now that’s a truly sick and deeply immoral repression of health freedom by the state and I don’t see one mention of it anywhere on this website. I’m not sure I understand the agenda of this website.
The website is called “vaccine reaction”, because it is NOT a website dealing with abortion.
NONE of the “temporary measure” were EVER supported hy actual science! This includes masking and lockdowns.
You really believe the lockdowns and masking were “reasonable measures”??? As far as “Republican objections,” I’d rather be arrogant and presumptuous than delusional and in denial. Stop regurgitating the narrative and BS talking points, my friend, you are on the wrong side of history.
I’m on the right side of history, you’re on the wrong side of history; everyone says this.
I’ll patiently explain to you why lockdowns and mandatory masking were reasonable measures.
Andrew Wakefield’s “Vaccine Risks” Youtube lecture series talks about the concept of “intensity of exposure”. Early in the series (within the first five chapters) he illustrates this concept of intensity of exposure with the hypothetical example of the Walton Family. If a little Walton girl in that small wooden house were exposed to four brothers who were all infected with a virus, she would get very very sick because her intensity of exposure was high from three factors: the proximity of exposure, the amount of time of exposure, and the number of vectors of exposure.
In other words the more virus you’re exposed to the sicker you will get. Andrew Wakefield makes makes perfect sense here.
As we all know the ideal policy is exposure to the disease and developing NATURAL IMMUNITY. It would be SMART to allow exposure. However it would be STUPID to allow high intensity exposure. Instead of high intensity exposure you want TITRATED exposure (TITRATED means reduced or lower intensity). With TITRATED exposure you get a lower intensity infection and you still gain natural immunity. In addition, immune deficient individuals like the obese and the elderly will be more likely to survive, health systems won’t be overrun and collapse, and there will be fewer permanent long-term effects of the disease like loss of smell, heart disease, lung function, etc, etc.
…oh and by the way, with TITRATED exposure there’s LESS NEED FOR VACCINES!
If only there was a way our society could somehow TITRATE exposure to the virus …hmmm…gee…I wonder if there’s a way to do this…
Oh I got it…MASKING! Duh. Virus particles are transmitted with the tiny aerosolized specks of liquid we normally exhale when we breathe, talk or sneeze. If your mask is getting a bit moist over time that means IT’S WORKING. Obviously. A certain fraction of the virus is reduced with each exhale thus TITRATING exposure to others.
In a similar vein lockdowns reduce the number of vectors of exposure thus reducing the intensity of exposure to others.
Let’s not forget COVID is a very nasty, very new virus that was developed by gain-of-function experiments in the Wuhan lab so our immune systems were not prepared from previous exposure in history like measles or chicken pox. It’s a dangerous virus.
It was WISE to reduce the intensity of exposure using TITRATION from lockdown and masking.
If you broke the law not wearing masks deliberately spreading the novel gain-of-function virus to others with full intensity you would have been locked up in a prison cell and you would have deserved it. Oh yes you would very much have deserved it.
Youtube and other social media platforms were right to cancel the anti-masking propaganda because it’s a dangerous lie, and lying is a sin before God.
For your lies against the wisdom of lockdowns and masking you owe God an apology; you owe me an apology; you owe government an apology. Your very integrity in the eyes of this group and your immortal soul is at stake.
We are waiting.
AaronC – you should get a clue about the actual “merits” of the B.S. mandated by the government and the criminals behind it. My god! You are brainwashed. It’s the only way to explain someone who insists that their POV (eg., about a letter sent by members of Congress to the President) is the ONLY POV that has merit. How arrogant, presumptuous and obstructionist! Here’s a tip… visit this website – http://www.stopworldcontrol.com -and keep your mind open (mouth shut) until you’ve watched every last video on it. Then let’s hear your POV, again, ok?
While world, national and state leaders were dining out, taking vacations, visiting friends and family, throwing parties, we the people were ordered to stay indoors. Masked up. Keeping distance from others. Our family members died alone. We were helpless to do anything about it. Ordered to stay away, stay home. Watching endless hours of news that dramatically told us that…
1. SARS CoV2 coronavirus has a far higher fatality rate than the flu by several orders of magnitude.
2. Everyone is at significant risk to die from this virus.
3. No one has any immunological protection, because this virus is completely new.
4. Asymptomatic people are major drivers of the spread.
5. Locking down, closing schools and businesses, confining people to their homes, stopping non Covid medical care, and eliminating travel will stop or eliminate the virus.
6. Masks will protect everyone and stop the spread.
7. The virus is known to be naturally occurring, and claiming it originated in a lab is a conspiracy theory.
8. Teachers are at especially high risk.
9. Covid vaccines stop the spread of the infection.
10. Immune protection only comes from a vaccine.
11. Unruly protests are okay, but outdoor church services are not.
12. This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.
During this time the largest transfer of wealth in modern history happened. Workers lost $3.7 trillion while the rich gained $3.6 trillion.
They KNEW the threat wasn’t as great as their buddies with the news outlets, public health leaders, academics and social media were screaming at folks. Yet, they still forced these mandates on the people. Maybe to find out what they could get away with and for how long?
Count on the fact that the peoples response has been assessed and archived for future use.
History shows the people should question everything and not rely on whomever governments or television or social media put in front of you as reliable sources. Ever.
Maybe this appointment is a good thing, as it appears the CDC does not realize how low they have sunk and need to sink to complete rock bottom before real correction can take place. Hopefully this band-aid appointment does just that, and the next person in charge after the 2024 election will really have the foresight to fix what plenty of administrations have neglected to do for the CDC.
I wouldn’t count on the CDC suddenly acquiring that much-needed self-awareness or on a better outcome after the 2024 election. As things stand right now, key states have not dealt with the election fraud issues that became obvious during the 2020 election cycle, and are poised to recreate that fraud. Maybe they’ll hide it a little better, but it isn’t going to go away. The people committing the fraud are the ones who put Biden in power, so… if they still want Biden, then unless something majorly changes, we won’t get someone better.
Without someone better in the White House along with a major of better people in the House and Senate, all of the captured government agencies are going to continue to stew and marinate in their own corrupt juices while things continue to grow ever worse.
Register Democrat and vote in the primary to “Go Brandon.”
Kennedy24
It’s called Mass Psychosis. Spread the fear if you tell people enough over and over and over they’re gonna believe it. Dr. Fauci And Deborah Brix and ALL THE OTHERS that backed this so called Virus should be in Jail! This “Virus” is nothing more than a Biologically engineered Weaponized Germ ! To purposely target the old and young. And any that had prior health issues. There was no reason for lockdowns there was no reason for the schools to close there was no reason for the masks. I’m a home health aide CNA and I was around people daily no mask no issues whatsoever and I’m in my early 60s. And YES I GOT SICK BUT!! I got over it!! I’m still here. Common sense would tell you not to get a damn vaccine when it was only made three months and actually it was made prior to that. Wake up! Do your damn research. I am so sick and tired of people under the mass psychosis that absolutely refused to wake up and do their own research instead of believing everything you hear it was all a bunch of bullshit and what’s coming next is the same only is going to be engineered even worse biologically. The governments behind it and that’s all there is to it wake up smell the roses people. And this Lady is absolutely NOT FIT to be ahead of the CDC. How about Dr Kory, Dr Pete McCullough, Dr Judy Miko it’s! Read her books!!!
A firing squad for all those who pushed this bs and ESPECIALLY THOSE DAMN INJECTIONS- And all the pharmaceutical people as well.
MASKING and LOCKDOWNS are reasonable, smart, AND help to REDUCE the need for vaccines:
Andrew Wakefield’s “Vaccine Risks” Youtube lecture series talks about the concept of “intensity of exposure”. Early in the series (within the first five chapters) he illustrates this concept of “intensity of exposure” using the hypothetical example of the Walton Family. If a Walton sister in that little house on the prairie were exposed to four Walton brothers who were all infected with a virus, she would get very sick because her intensity of exposure was high from three factors:
1. the proximity of exposure,
2. the amount of time of exposure, and
3. the number of vectors of exposure.
In other words the more virus you’re exposed to the sicker you will get. Andrew Wakefield makes makes perfect sense here. We all agree with Andrew Wakefield.
As you know NATURAL IMMUNITY from exposure to a disease is superior to ACQUIRED IMMUNITY from a vaccine. It would be SMART to allow exposure. However it would be STUPID to allow high-intensity exposure. Instead of high-intensity exposure you want what’s called TITRATED exposure. TITRATED means reduced or low-intensity. With TITRATED exposure you get a lower-intensity infection.
Lower-intensity TITRATED infections are preferable for the benefit of immune-deficient individuals like the obese and the elderly who will more likely survive, for health systems not to be overrun and collapse, and for fewer permanent long-term effects of COVID like loss of smell, heart disease, lung function, etc, etc.
…oh and by the way, with TITRATED exposure there’s LESS NEED FOR VACCINES!
If only there was a way our society could somehow TITRATE general exposure to the virus …hmmm…gee…I wonder if there’s a way to do this…
Oh I got it…MASKING! Duh. Virus particles are transmitted via tiny aerosolized particles of liquid we normally exhale when we breathe, talk or sneeze. If your mask is getting a bit moist over time that means IT’S WORKING, obviously. A certain fraction of the virus is reduced with each exhale thus TITRATING exposure to others.
In a similar vein lockdowns reduce the number of vectors of exposure thus reducing the intensity of exposure to others.
Let’s not forget COVID is a very nasty, very new mutated virus that was developed by gain-of-function experiments in the Wuhan lab so our immune systems have no effective inherited immunity from previous exposure in history like measles or chicken pox. It’s a dangerous virus.
It was WISE to reduce the intensity of exposure using TITRATION from lockdown and masking.
If you broke the law not wearing masks deliberately spreading the novel gain-of-function virus to others with full intensity you would have been locked up in a prison cell and you would have deserved it. Oh yes, you would very much have deserved it.
Youtube and other social media platforms were right to cancel the anti-masking propaganda because it’s a dangerous lie, and lying is a sin before God.
For your lies against the wisdom of lockdowns and masking you owe God an apology; your immortal soul is at stake (assuming you’re actually a Christian).
There is no virus, only a mind virus, mass mind control to keep us compliant and asleep to the real reasons we are sick and dying. Once we see this clearly there is no rational for any government actions to lockdown or vaccinate. It’s a scam pure and simple. Look to the real reasons people get sick, and you will find those who want to keep the scam alive and their criminality hidden, diverting attention from their responsibility in poisoning us and the environment for profit . Big pharma, big ag, big tech and their paid lackeys in the media all collude to keep us in the dark because there is money in keeping us chronically sick. It’s quite simple, follow the money. When we see that there is only one solution offered, drugs and more drugs, we see the real agenda.