The White House has fired the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Susan Monarez. The White House stated that Monarez was "not aligned with the president's agenda." Her firing has created a lot of controversy. Monarez's lawyers quickly responded, saying she was not told about her removal and would not quit her job. They accused Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of targeting her because she refused to approve "unscientific, reckless directives." They also claimed Kennedy was "weaponizing public health." Monarez is a scientist who specializes in infectious disease research. President Donald Trump nominated her, and she was confirmed by the Senate in July. She was the first CDC director in 50 years to not have a medical degree What Are The New COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines? On the same day Monarez was fired, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved new COVID-19 vaccines but with strict rules about who can get them. The vaccines will be available for all seniors, but not for younger adults and children who do not have other health problems. Health Secretary Kennedy commented on this, saying that the broad vaccine rules from the previous administration have now been "rescinded," or taken back. Monarez's firing is just one part of the problems at the CDC. Earlier this month, a union for CDC employees announced that about 600 workers had been fired. The people who lost their jobs worked on important topics like infectious diseases and environmental hazards. In addition, Monarez had recently been comforting staff after a gunman, who believed he was harmed by COVID-19 vaccines, attacked the CDC headquarters and killed a police officer. Will COVID Vaccines Come To An End? There have also been reports that the Trump administration might get rid of COVID-19 vaccines completely. Health Secretary Kennedy, who is well-known for being skeptical of vaccines, has already made a big move by pulling $500 million in federal funding from 22 projects that were developing new mRNA vaccines. He said these vaccines don't work well against respiratory infections. However, medical experts say his claims are false and that his actions could make people lose trust in science. HHS has also announced a big change in how it invests in vaccine research. The department is moving away from funding mRNA vaccine projects and is instead focusing on what it calls "alternative" vaccine technologies. This shift has drawn criticism from scientists who say that mRNA technology was crucial to the rapid COVID-19 response and is a vital tool for fighting future pandemics. Another major change was when Kennedy got rid of every member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This group had been advising the CDC for decades. Kennedy replaced them with a small, hand-picked group, claiming the old members had conflicts of interest. These changes have made many medical professionals confused and concerned. Some clinics and pharmacies are now unsure whether to offer certain vaccines to pregnant women or healthy children, and they don't know if insurance will cover them. While older people and those with health problems can still get vaccines, access has become less clear for healthy children and adults.