Notice2026-18263
Reorganization of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Primary source
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Published
September 9, 2026
Effective
September 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract
CDC has modified its structure. This notice announces the reorganization of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). NCIRD has consolidated offices, retitled divisions and branches, and modified mission and function statements.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 173 (Wednesday, September 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 9, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57343-57344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18263]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Reorganization of the National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases
AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: CDC has modified its structure. This notice announces the
reorganization of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory
Diseases (NCIRD). NCIRD has consolidated offices, retitled divisions
and branches, and modified mission and function statements.
DATES: This reorganization of NCIRD was approved by the Secretary, HHS
on August 18, 2026 and became effective on September 4, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Greco Kone, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS H24-9,
Atlanta, GA 30329; Telephone 800-232-4636; Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c8b8a5a7a6aba1baac88abacabe6afa7be"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="77071a1819141e05133714131459101801">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part C (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and
Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and Human Services
(45 FR 67772-76, dated October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296,
October 20, 1980, as amended most recently at 89 FR 78305, dated
September 25, 2024) is amended to reflect the reorganization of
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Specifically, the changes are as
follows:
I. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, make the
following changes:
<bullet> Merges the Influenza Division (CJC) and the Coronavirus
and Other Respiratory Diseases Division (CJG) to establish the
Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Division (CJH). The newly established
Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Division (CJH) consists of the
following components:
<bullet> Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Division (CJH)
<bullet> Office of the Director (CJH1)
<bullet> Virology and Laboratory Surveillance Branch (CJHB)
<bullet> Respiratory Virus Detection and Immunology Branch (CJHC)
<bullet> Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Modeling Branch (CJHD)
<bullet> Public Health Interventions Branch (CJHE)
<bullet> Emerging Viral Respiratory Threats Branch (CJHG)
II. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, within
the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (CJ),
insert the following:
Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Division (CJH). The Influenza and
Respiratory Viruses Division (IRVD) prevents disease, disability, and
death through the prevention and control of seasonal, epidemic and
pandemic respiratory viral diseases, including influenza, and other
respiratory viral diseases. IRVD informs national awareness of
respiratory viral diseases and use of effective interventions. In
collaboration with partners IRVD: (1) Monitors and assesses infection
and disease patterns related to influenza, and other viruses causing
respiratory illness of public health importance; (2) conducts
surveillance and response activities through collaboration, support and
technical assistance with partners, including state and local health
departments and international partners; (3) identifies and
characterizes viruses to improve detection, diagnostics, vaccines and
treatments; (4) designs, evaluates, enhances and implements prevention/
intervention strategies, including vaccines, treatment, and non-
pharmaceutical interventions; and (5) applies research to provide
science-based enhancement of prevention and control policies and
programs.
Office of the Director (CJH1). (1) Provides vision, leadership,
management, and direction for the division; (2) fosters cross-cutting
external partnerships and activities that support quality science and
program implementation; (3) provides leadership and guidance for the
development and implementation of public health program operations and
policies and strengthening national capacity; (4) provides technical
leadership and strategic direction for awareness and strategic
engagement around respiratory disease prevention and detection, and
response to support national and international pandemic preparedness
activities; (5) provides oversight and leadership for technical and
functional activities, including informatics, science and laboratory
including oversight for CLIA, quality, and safety; and (6) provides
technical leadership and strategic direction for public communications,
public health guidance, informatics, epidemiologic, and laboratory
science, and reagent resources.
Virology and Laboratory Surveillance Branch: uses traditional
surveillance systems, newer data technologies, advanced molecular
diagnostics including metagenomics, in collaboration with other
branches in the division, divisions within the Center and with other
Centers to: (1) Conduct comprehensive antigenic, phenotypic, genotypic,
structural, and evolutionary characterization of human and animal
viruses and novel emerging viruses with pandemic potential; (2)
performs genetic and antigenic testing to support risk assessments of
seasonal and novel viruses and emerging viruses with pandemic
potential; (3) provide expert guidance and technical support on vaccine
virus selection and other medical countermeasures; (4) develop methods
to detect and characterize seasonal, novel, and emerging viruses; (5)
train and support external laboratories that perform molecular
detection and genetic characterization of influenza and other
respiratory viruses; (6) develops and evaluate seasonal and pre-
pandemic candidate vaccine viruses; and (7) identify viral factors that
impact host response, virulence, and transmissibility of respiratory
viruses.
Respiratory Virus Detection and Immunology Branch (CJHC). (1)
Performs immunologic and genetic surveillance for respiratory viruses;
(2) examines and characterizes immunity against respiratory viruses;
(3) conducts antigenic and other characterization of respiratory
viruses; (4) provides laboratory support and technical expertise for
respiratory virus infections, outbreaks and clusters; (5) provides
expert input for respiratory virus vaccine selection; (6) develops and
evaluates laboratory and analytic methods used for surveillance of
respiratory viruses; (7) determines virus and host factors that impact
virulence and transmission of respiratory viruses; (8) conducts
immunologic and virologic pandemic risk assessment of novel
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respiratory viruses; and (9) trains and supports laboratories that
perform immunologic testing of respiratory viruses.
Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Modeling Branch (CJHD). (1)
Conducts national and sentinel surveillance, epidemiologic studies, and
related activities, including modeling and forecasting, to better
understand burden, severity, disease trends, and to monitor influenza
and other respiratory viruses and diseases; (2) provides technical
expertise and support to state and local health departments for
surveillance, detection, response, and related activities; (3) develops
methods for and provides expertise and support on data analysis and
visualization of influenza and other respiratory virus data for
internal and external use; and (4) collaborates with intra and
interagency partners, to support pandemic preparedness and response
activities for influenza and other respiratory viruses, including the
integration of advanced analytics and mathematical modeling.
Public Health Interventions Branch (CJHE). (1) Designs intervention
strategies to prevent and control influenza and other respiratory viral
diseases (e.g. vaccination, treatment, and non-pharmaceutical
interventions); (2) evaluates the effectiveness of prevention and
control interventions; (3) translates, adapts, and implements evidence
based respiratory viral disease prevention and control strategies; (4)
supports development and implementation of guidance and health
education materials related to prevention and control of influenza and
other viral respiratory diseases; and (5) designs, develops and
conducts economic, health services, epidemiologic, and other analyses
related to the impact of prevention and control of influenza and viral
respiratory diseases.
Emerging Viral Respiratory Threats Branch (CJHG). (1) Supports
enhanced global surveillance for respiratory viruses and diseases; (2)
conducts surveillance, program evaluations, research, and modeling
activities to improve our understanding of global respiratory viruses;
(3) advances rapid detection and response to emerging and novel
respiratory viruses outside the United States to support health
security; (4) promotes prevention and control of respiratory viruses
globally to prevent their spread; and (5) supports global outbreak
response and pandemic preparedness activities.
Delegations of Authority
All delegations and redelegations of authority made to officials
and employees of affected organizational components will continue in
them or their successors pending further redelegation, provided they
are consistent with this reorganization.
(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3101)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2026-18263 Filed 9-8-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
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