Sara Silverstein
@sarasilverstein.bsky.social
3.1K followers 390 following 110 posts
Historian. Writer. Public & global health, rights, internationalism, migration, citizenship & statelessness, Modern & Eastern Europe. Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut, Department of History and Human Rights Institute. Views my own.
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Reposted by Sara Silverstein
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
Trump govt did not reverse these firings out of goodness or self-owning a "mistake." They would have been happy to get away with it. This reversal is the result of strong opposition. We undercut our own power when we give them the credit. Resistance matters. And remaining cuts are still devastating.
sherylnyt.bsky.social
TRUMP CDC REVERSAL: Trump administration racing to reverse some CDC layoffs. Disease detectives, measles responders, MMWR staff RIF’s are revoked. DC office still shuttered. w/ @apoorvanyt.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/h...
Trump Administration Is Bringing Back Scores of C.D.C. Experts Fired in Error
www.nytimes.com
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
Trump govt did not reverse these firings out of goodness or self-owning a "mistake." They would have been happy to get away with it. This reversal is the result of strong opposition. We undercut our own power when we give them the credit. Resistance matters. And remaining cuts are still devastating.
sherylnyt.bsky.social
TRUMP CDC REVERSAL: Trump administration racing to reverse some CDC layoffs. Disease detectives, measles responders, MMWR staff RIF’s are revoked. DC office still shuttered. w/ @apoorvanyt.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/h...
Trump Administration Is Bringing Back Scores of C.D.C. Experts Fired in Error
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
markhamillofficial.bsky.social
ONE WEEK FROM TODAY: Make your voices heard. Join us in a peaceful protest across our country against the most corrupt, deceitful & criminal Administration in U.S. History. We say NO KINGS, NO CROOKS, NO SPRAY-TAN CONMAN! 👎

Check for a location near you at: www.nokings.org

#BeThere 👍
No Kings
As the president escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS non-violent movement continues to rise stronger. We are united once again to remind the world: America has No Kings and the power ...
www.nokings.org
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
angierasmussen.bsky.social
For more information about the Friday night massacre at CDC, I wrote up an analysis of who got terminated and what that means for public health.

Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.

rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
Americans will be sicker, America will be weaker. Inequality will increase as health will depend more than ever on the ability to afford it. There will be downward social mobility. Health will be the privilege of the few. This is social engineering. (4/4)
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
luckytran.com
They have fired the staff of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and 70 Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, who are disease detectives that respond to outbreaks around the world.

I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is to dismantle our disease surveillance infrastructure.
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
elizabethjacobs.bsky.social
The editors of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) were apparently fired today.

The precursor to MMWR began in 1878 to address emerging public health threats rapidly.

We are not “great” without it. We are vulnerable to threats from sporadic foodborne illness to bioterrorism.
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
Trump govt further gutted the CDC last night, while continuing the govt shutdown instead of protecting healthcare for Americans. Areas affected last night include policy, comms, intelligence, infrastructure, global health & more. This is an attack on national security
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
Trump Administration Lays Off Dozens of C.D.C. Officials
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
These areas parallel the "power ministries" targeted for takeover during regime change. They represent an effective means of seizing control of the institutions and the information and ideas reaching the people. (2/4)
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
Americans will be sicker, America will be weaker. Inequality will increase as health will depend more than ever on the ability to afford it. There will be downward social mobility. Health will be the privilege of the few. This is social engineering. (4/4)
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
The Trump administration is co-opting the CDC for political ends, but the erasure of public health is about more than regime change since it undermines health and individual and collective security. What are the ends? (3/4)
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
These areas parallel the "power ministries" targeted for takeover during regime change. They represent an effective means of seizing control of the institutions and the information and ideas reaching the people. (2/4)
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
pamherd.bsky.social
RFK fired the CDC official (w/decades of experience) leading the measles outbreak response. It's been decades since we've had such a large outbreak. And just to ensure they they can spread the measles outbreak even farther, they also fired the leadership for the center focused on immunization.
Figure showing the largest measles outbreak in the US in decades.  There are over 1500 cases as of October 7 2025
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
lenasun.bsky.social
NEW: @CDCgov hit hard by massive firings that several staff describe to me as a “bloodbath.”
Among those RIFd:
—leadership of the center for immunization and respiratory diseases;
—leadership of global health center
—leadership of the measles outbreak response; 1/4
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
amymaxmen.bsky.social
The Trump admin is in the midst of laying off 1,100-1,200 HHS staff. The CDC's outbreak responders, gone. The office producing CDC's weekly journal MMWR is gone. CDC staff securing sensitive data, gone. Worker safety, gone. Immunization group, gone.

Instead, Congress watches RFK "make the proof"
atrupar.com
RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: "It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
disabilitystor1.bsky.social
Everyone should be screaming about this.
diasporaminnesotan.bsky.social
They killed MMWR.
They killed MMWR.
They killed MMWR.
They killed MMWR.
They killed MMWR.
They killed MMWR.
sarasilverstein.bsky.social
Trump govt further gutted the CDC last night, while continuing the govt shutdown instead of protecting healthcare for Americans. Areas affected last night include policy, comms, intelligence, infrastructure, global health & more. This is an attack on national security
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
Trump Administration Lays Off Dozens of C.D.C. Officials
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:
PHIC - Public Health Infrastructure Center

Their job? Make public health infrastructure and workforce development actually work.

They help state, tribal, local, and territorial health agencies.

Y’know… everyone in the U.S. 🫠
2024 Accomplishments
Strengthening the public health infrastructure and workforce of the United States
www.cdc.gov
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
altcdc.altgov.info
Another RIF theme:
Eliminating policy branches.

📊 Science collects the data
🧠 Policy sets the course — the bridge between the science and the programs that actually make it happen

We need policy to turn evidence into action.
Which, of course, is exactly what 🧠🪱 does not want.
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
adamkeiper.com
You would not fire these people—including the staff of the hugely, HUGELY important 'Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report'—if you cared at all about public health, if you wanted people to live.

And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.
sherylnyt.bsky.social
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:

Several CDC staff currently working on an Ebola outbreak overseas.

You know — the ones literally helping contain and prevent it from spreading. (Like, to the U.S.)

Trust us: dying from Ebola is a MISERABLE way to die.
Ebola disease
WHO fact sheet on Ebola: key facts, definition, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, WHO response.
www.who.int
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:

Office of the Director, Center for Chronic Disease

Am I hallucinating? Because these are continuing to get crazier and crazier.

🧠🪱: “If we don’t fund it, diabetes just won’t exist.” Ummmm that’s not how this works.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
Programs in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
www.cdc.gov
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:
NCHC, National Center for Health Statistics - comms, policy, leadership

🧠🪱 - Do you need me to define health statistics for you?
All your concerns about chronic disease, indigenous health disparities, etc — we know what’s an issue AFTER we measure it.
National Center for Health Statistics
The nation's official source for health data
www.cdc.gov
Reposted by Sara Silverstein
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:
Global Health Center - Office of the Director

GHC works to reduce illness and respond to health threats worldwide - BECAUSE HEALTH ISSUES WORLDWIDE WILL AFFECT THE USA AS WELL.
(and also, it’s the right thing to do)

GHC’s leadership - gone. Doesn’t seem efficient (or wise) to me.
Global Health Center
CDC's Global Health Center works 24/7 to reduce illness and respond to health threats worldwide.
www.cdc.gov