Iowa leader of virus response leaving public health agency

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Public Health medical director and state epidemiologist is leaving the job next month.

The agency announced Wednesday that Dr. Caitlin Pedati, a pediatrician, will “pursue new opportunities." Pedati has been in the job since 2018 and was a visible adviser to Gov. Kim Reynolds in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic last year, appearing in numerous news conferences.

Pedati has not been a visible presence recently as the state has experienced a surge in cases involving the delta variant. The agency says it plans to quickly fill the position.

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