Georgia lawmakers rallied at the state Capitol to denounce the wave of job cuts affecting the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) due to the actions of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk. The CDC is facing significant layoffs, with nearly 1,300 employees impacted, as part of a broader trend affecting an estimated 100,000 federal workers since President Donald Trump took office. Many current and former CDC employees expressed their shock over the abrupt terminations, with some receiving no prior notice of their job loss. Sonya Arundar, a recently fired employee, criticized the lack of strategic oversight in the layoffs, arguing that cutting government waste should not come at the cost of essential public health services. Public health experts, such as Dr.

Carlos del Rio from Emory University, warned that reduced staffing could compromise the CDC's ability to respond to infectious disease threats. The significant cuts come as the Trump administration has previously reversed layoffs in other departments amid public health crises, raising questions about the consistency of its approach. This situation has sparked fears within the Atlanta community about the potential risks to public health, particularly with the city's status as a major international travel hub. The cuts align with Trump's campaign promises, igniting further debate over the future of federal health agencies.