Criticism of the agency began right at the onset of the pandemic, when it produced a faulty diagnostic test that ultimately prevented the U.S. from catching the spread of the virus early on.

My thought bubble: The CDC is one of many institutions on the receiving end of scathing criticism for its handling of the pandemic. But it’s a jarring about-face for an agency once globally admired and generally considered immune from political interference.

What they’re saying: “The consistent inconsistency in this administration’s guidance on COVID-19 has severely compromised the nation’s trust in our public health agencies,” said Howard Koh, a top health official in the Obama administration, in a statement.