***External Email***
Dear Public Health Service Officers,
As Thanksgiving approaches, it is an appropriate time to reflect on all the things for which we are thankful – and chief among these is the opportunity to serve with a dedicated group of officers who are committed to protecting, promoting, and advancing the health and safety of the nation.
Many of you have served on the front lines of public health or have supported those on the front lines during this challenging year. We had officers deployed to help repatriate Americans, to assist community-based testing sites and to provide infection control and clinical care to long-term care facilities, hospitals, and field hospitals in hard-hit communities.
We are grateful for your efforts to provide these critical services, particularly during the holiday season. While we are sincerely grateful for your service, we must also thank your families, whom you often leave behind with barely a moment’s notice to save the lives of others and work with others to stop this pandemic. Your shared sacrifices are not lost on us.
This holiday season let us show our appreciation for those we love and our local communities by remembering and upholding our COVID-19 safety measures. Display your commitment by modeling the three Ws (wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance) and by following CDC guidance for holiday celebrations.
We also want to remember our fellow officers in the other uniformed services, especially those who cannot be with their family during this holiday time.
We wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and blessed Thanksgiving.
Brett Giroir, MD Jerome Adams, MD, MPH
ADM, USPHS VADM, USPHS
Assistant Secretary for Health U.S. Surgeon General