US' COVID-19 response slammed by one of the world's most rewarded medical journals

Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, one of the world’s most honoured medical journals has criticised US President Donald Trump for ignoring warnings of health professionals and meddling with the CDC. In an editorial titled ‘Reviving US CDC’ published on May 14, The Lancet slammed the US response to the health crisis. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen in the United States with over 1.4 million confirmed cases and 86,912 deaths it said that the flagship agency for public health in the US, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had its role “minimised” and became “ineffective”.

“The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flagship agency for the nation's public health, has seen its role minimised and become an ineffective and nominal adviser in the response to contain the spread of the virus,” the article said.

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The Medical journal listed incidents and statements made by the officials in Trump administration point-by-point that hindered the credibility of the CDC which had become a “national pillar of public health and globally respected”. The authors claimed that CDC funding was subjected to partisan politics that further “eroded” its capability to have evidence-based public health responses. According to the article, Trump administration further restricted the capacity of CDC to tackle infectious disease such as COVID-19.

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Advice on next US President

The CDC staff in China were apparently cut back by the present US government marking the return of last health official from the mainland in July 2019. This, according to the medical journal created an “intelligence vacuum” when the coronavirus was beginning to spread in the Asian superpower. While crediting CDC’s work in the past, the Lancet acknowledged that it “has made mistakes” especially when it comes to COVID-19 testing in the preliminary stages. Moreover, the medical journal urged Americans to choose the next US President who prioritizes public health.

It said, “Americans must put a president in the White House come January 2021, who will understand that public health should not be guided by partisan politics.”

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