please don’t blame the federal workers

for the communications pause, websites going down, portals closed, any data lost. as a fed working in HHS, none of this is what we want. I feel very helpless at the moment and every single fed I know working in public health isn’t enjoying this at all.

As feds, we serve the American people and took an oath of office when we first joined the government. We stand true to that oath despite the chaos unfolding in our workplaces.

I hope you give your program officers, grants management folks, and other federal partners some grace over the next few months. We are all worried about our families, careers, and safety to be frank.

If it offers any glimmer of hope, I still have faith in the systems, however flawed they are, that some justice will be served for all of this. Stay strong & remember why you joined public health in the first place!