Director of California Department of Public Health Resigns

Dr. Sonia Angell, the director of the California Department of Public Health and State Health Official, has resigned five months into the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Dr. Angell, who held the director position for less than a year and served as the first Latina in the role, did not provide an explanation for her decision. In an email she sent to CDPH staff regarding her resignation, she said she was very proud of her staff and their response to the coronavirus pandemic for which “not one of our staff has gone untouched by the changes that have occurred. Not in our professional lives or our personal lives.”

Although Governor Gavin Newsom would not address questions about Dr. Angell’s resignation beyond confirming that he had received and accepted it, there have been speculations as to whether Dr. Angell was asked to resign.

More than 300,000 Records Uncounted

Dr. Angell’s decision came only days after a technical glitch in the disease data-tracking database resulted in the disappearance of nearly 300,000 records. This miscalculation led to Newsom stating in a briefing last week that he was encouraged by the decrease in positive cases.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, explained that the technical glitch meant that the state did not receive results of coronavirus tests for five days. This made the state’s number of current positive test results appear to have significantly decreased when they indeed had not.

Newsom announced Monday that Sandra Shewry will be replacing Dr. Angell as the acting director of the California Department of Public Health. Dr. Erica Pan will be replacing Dr. Angell’s position as acting State Public Health Officer.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s Response Dr. Angell’s Resignation

Newsom thanked Dr. Angell “for her service to the state and her work to help steer our public health system during this global pandemic.” Dr. Ghaly also thanked Dr. Angell “for her service to the people of California during this unprecedented public health crisis. She has worked tirelessly for all Californians, always keeping health equity in mind. Her leadership was instrumental as Californians flattened the curve once and in setting us on a path to do so again.”

As of August 1, California has had more than 500,000 cases of coronavirus with more than 10,000 deaths as a result.