CDC's Disease Detectives Exempted From Hiring Freeze
CBS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers, often called disease detectives, will continue to be hired despite a government-wide hiring freeze. These EIS officers are crucial in investigating and responding to disease outbreaks across the country and globally. The exemption ensures the CDC can maintain its ability to quickly address public health threats. This decision reflects the importance of these roles in safeguarding public health.
The CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), responsible for training disease detectives, has been granted an exemption from a government-wide hiring freeze. These EIS officers play a vital role in identifying and containing disease outbreaks. Each year, the CDC recruits and trains a new class of these officers, who are deployed to investigate public health threats both domestically and internationally. The decision to exempt the EIS program acknowledges the critical function these disease detectives perform in protecting public health. Without these dedicated professionals, the CDC's ability to respond effectively to emerging health crises would be significantly diminished. This exemption ensures the agency can continue to maintain a strong and capable workforce prepared to tackle any potential health emergency.