CDC layoffs still rippling through Atlanta a year later

It has been over a year since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention experienced its first blow of mass layoffs, and Atlanta is still feeling the effects. 

The Atlanta-based public health agency has suffered roughly 3,000 employees from layoffs and early retirements since President Donald Trump took office, according to WABE.

Sarah Boim, who lost her job at the CDC, told WABE that the impact of these mass firings will be substantial for years to come.

“In terms of health, it will cause generational harm, which always makes me tear up,” Boim said. “The harm that’s going to come to people that don’t even know what CDC was protecting them from.”

The surrounding businesses have also been impacted by the decrease in workers going to the CDC each day. Sri Thai restaurant is located across the street from the CDC campus in DeKalb County.

Nathan Chanthavong told WABE that the restaurant has seen less business since the layoffs and the government shutdown.

“Typically, we would get a catering order for the CDC. We saw it less, less and less. It’s not a really big impact, but catering is a big order, it is a lot of money,” he said, “so it does affect us.”

Former CDC workers gather outside of the main entrance every Tuesday since the firings began to protest the administration’s actions.

“It’s been heartbreaking to see so many talented, able colleagues be forced out or leave,” Ben McKenzie told WABE.

For six months, the CDC has been without a permanent director with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya serving as the acting director while also serving as the director of the National Institutes of Health.