俄亥俄州州长迈克·德温周四宣布,俄亥俄州卫生局长艾米·阿克顿博士已经辞职,实际上是立即辞职。民众健康在20世纪70年代,这位官员成为了备受称赞的全国性人物冠状病毒流行病,但也面临着对她的权威的挑战。
在他每日的冠状病毒简报会上,德温说阿克顿本周告诉他“是她下台的时候了。”
他说,她将作为首席健康顾问留在他的政府中。
2020年2月27日,俄亥俄州卫生局长艾米·阿克顿在克利夫兰都市健康医疗中心的新闻发布会上发表讲话,俄亥俄州州长迈克·德温在一旁观看。
2020年2月27日,俄亥俄州卫生局长艾米·阿克顿在克利夫兰都市健康医疗中心的新闻发布会上发表讲话,俄亥俄州州长迈克·德温在一旁观看。托尼·德雅克/美联社,档案
“她将继续以非常、非常有意义的方式为俄亥俄州的人民服务,并继续以非常有意义的方式帮助我,”德温说。
没错,不是所有的英雄都穿斗篷。有些人穿着印有艾米·阿克顿医生名字的白色外套。pic.twitter.com/ugzvTGSoie
——州长麦克·德温(@ GovMikeDeWine)2020年6月11日
DeWine说,在新的角色中,阿克顿将继续关注COVID-19危机,同时为其他健康问题提供建议。
“俄亥俄州人,你拯救了生命。你已经做到了,”阿克顿在周四的简报中说。"我很荣幸能和你一起继续在这方面努力。"
undefined更多:随着共和党议员试图限制卫生局长的权力,俄亥俄州的家庭秩序面临越来越多的挑战
卫生局长也出现在动画模仿中《拉维恩和雪莉》和《德温》的片头。这部动画由俄亥俄州的一名自由艺术家创作,是他和朋友们的一个玩笑,最终在YouTube上以超过120万的浏览量迅速走红。
2020年4月18日,俄亥俄州哥伦布市俄亥俄州众议院外,一名抗议者举着反对艾米·阿克顿博士的标语。
2020年4月18日,俄亥俄州哥伦布市俄亥俄州众议院外,一名抗议者举着反对艾米·阿克顿博士的标语。梅根·杰林格/法新社
阿克顿于2019年2月被任命为卫生局长。在大流行期间,她一举成名,经常在DeWine的简报会上向公众发表演讲。她因其冷静的举止和政府对冠状病毒迅速、积极的反应而受到称赞。但随着国家封锁的持续,她也成为了批评的目标。
今年5月,抗议者在她家门前举行了几次示威,共和党议员一直致力于立法限制卫生局长的权力。在裁定该州在大流行期间关闭体育馆的命令违反了俄亥俄州宪法时,一名俄亥俄州法官写道,阿克顿的行为是“不允许的武断、不合理和压迫性的”
DeWine说,俄亥俄州卫生部总顾问兰斯·希姆斯将成为临时主任。
Amy Acton, Ohio's embattled health director, resigns amid COVID-19 crisis
Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton has resigned, effectively immediately, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday. The publichealthofficial became a lauded national figure during thecoronaviruspandemic, but has also faced challenges to her authority.
During his daily coronavirus briefing, DeWine said Acton told him this week it was "time for her to step down."
She will stay in his administration as a chief health adviser, he said.
"She will continue to be able to serve the people of the state of Ohio in a very, very meaningful way, and continue to help me in a very meaningful way," DeWine said.
It's true, not all heroes wear capes. Some of them wear a white coat embossed with the name Dr. Amy Acton.pic.twitter.com/ugzvTGSoie
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine)June 11, 2020
In her new role, Acton will continue to focus on the COVID-19 crisis, DeWine said, while advising on other health issues.
"Ohioans, you have saved lives. You have done this," Acton said during Thursday's briefing. "It is my honor to continue to work on this alongside you."
The health director alsoappeared in an animated parodyof the "Laverne & Shirley" opening credits alongside DeWine. The animation, created by an Ohio freelance artist as a joke with friends, ended up going viral with over 1.2 million views on YouTube.
Acton was appointed health director in February 2019. She rose to prominence during the pandemic, often addressing the public during DeWine's briefings. She drew praise for her calm demeanor and the administration's swift, aggressive response to the coronavirus. But she was also the target of criticism as the state's lockdown stretched on.
Protesters demonstrated in front of her home on several occasions in May, and Republican lawmakers have been working on legislation to limit the health director's authority. In ruling that the state's order closing gyms during the pandemic violated the Ohio Constitution, an Ohio judge wrote that Acton acted in an "impermissibly arbitrary, unreasonable, and oppressive manner."
Lance Himes, the Ohio Department of Health's general counsel, will become interim director, DeWine said.