The Trump administration’s purge at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has left employees reeling.

The firings, which began late Friday, ran across more than a dozen divisions and centers. They impacted teams that investigate infectious disease outbreaks, chronic disease, respiratory disease surveillance, immunization, and more.

Yet in an apparent reversal, the administration has been racing to rescind some of those firings, leading to even more confusion.

The moves came in the second week of a government shutdown and are part of President Trump’s efforts to slash the government workforce. Top administration officials blame Democrats and say the firings are meant to punish them.

Trump said at the White House last week that the firings, which are not typical during a s

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