CDC slowing pace on releasing new coronavirus health guidance

CDC slowing pace on releasing new coronavirus health guidance For the last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped issuing new health information related to the novel coronavirus after altering the procedure by which that information was being shared with the American people, sources with direct knowledge of the change told ABC News. The YahooNews

For the last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped issuing new health information related to the novel coronavirus after altering the procedure by which that information was being shared with the American people, sources with direct knowledge of the change told ABC News.

The type of information that has been withheld has previously been vital to hospitals, health officials and local leaders on the front lines providing updated guidance on how to treat, test and slow the spread of the illness, which has claimed over 200,000 American lives. A source told ABC News that includes additional "guidance on who should be tested and when," adding, "That stuff won't get updated."

From at least Sept. 24 to Sept. 30, the CDC has stopped updating new health guidance and recommendation information, according to the sources. An ABC News review of the CDC website shows a timeline that supports the lack of information being updated.

­­A CDC source familiar with the COVID response called the halt in information flow to the American public a "moratorium," adding, "Scientists are prevented from updating the CDC website with new information, recommendations and policies surrounding COVID." A separate source confirmed CDC guidance updates are not currently being published, but disagreed with the categorization of a "moratorium" and instead insisted "agency leadership is just ensuring the review process is being followed."

MORE: CDC director, despite Trump criticism, sticks to timeline that most Americans to get vaccine by summer 2021

"If any updates are made to existing guidance or new guidance is made, the CDC is requiring every piece to have approved talking points and maybe a summary statement," CDC employees and scientists learned on a CDC conference call Wednesday morning according to a source that was on the briefing call.

The source told ABC News, "We know we have new science, but updates based on new and emerging science are not updated or able to be shared," including CDC "recommendations on best practices and guidance on how to protect yourself and others from getting and spreading COVID." ...