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Top Epidemiologist Leaves Public Health Service For Private Sector

Lincoln Journal Star

Nebraska is losing its top infectious disease expert to the private sector just as the state is working to distribute coronavirus vaccines. Dr. Tom Safranek, who was Nebraska’s state epidemiologist for 30 years, said Wednesday he's retiring to take a job as chief medical officer for Omaha-based corporate health care consultant TotalWellness. Safranek joins the list of at least 181 state and local public health leaders in 38 states who have resigned, retired or been fired since the pandemic began. Although Safranek was not the public face of the state’s response, he served in a key role at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.