Why health experts are concerned about high turnover rate among U.S. immunization managers


The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the United States' immunization managers, USA Today reports.
Since COVID-19 first took hold in the U.S., 14 managers have quit, four were promoted, and six retired, reportedly most earlier than planned. All told, 24 of the 64 people who oversee the country's vaccination programs have left. Normally, the yearly turnover is about 10 people, Claire Hannan, the executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, said.
The fact that the figure more than doubled in the last year isn't entirely surprising — the managers battled burnout amid the U.S.'s largest ever vaccination campaign, which was heavily politicized at times. But it is concerning, Dr. Walter Orenstein, the director of the Emory University Vaccine Center, told USA Today, explaining that individual immunization managers have built personal relationships over the years with leaders at the state and local levels, something that will likely be tough to replace. "What works and what doesn't work in each community may be somewhat different," Orenstein said. "That's why it's so important to have people at the state and community level who have experience." Read more at USA Today.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
RFK Jr.: How to destroy vaccination
Feature Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaces all 17 members of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice
-
The god in the machine
Feature An AI model with superhuman intelligence could soon become reality. Should we be worried?
-
ICE: Targeting essential workers
Feature After a brief pause, the Trump administration resumes its mass deportation plan
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr.: A new plan for sabotaging vaccines
Feature The Health Secretary announced changes to vaccine testing and asks Americans to 'do your own research'
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia