The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is going dark, along with other federal agencies within the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This week, the returning Trump administration told these agencies to stop talking to the public—for how long, no one knows.

The agencies are charged with making decisions that touch the lives of every American and are the source of crucial information to health-care providers.

As the new Administration considers its plan for managing the federal policy and public communications processes, it is important that the President’s appointees and designee

Amid a deluge of executive actions, the Trump administration has directed federal health agencies to pause external communications, such as regular scientific reports, updates to websites and health advisories,

In a memo obtained by NPR, acting health secretary Dorothy Fink forbade staff from public communications on most matters until Feb. 1, unless they get express approval from 'a presidential appointee.'