California's first surgeon general, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, has announced her resignation.
Harris has served as the first surgeon general since her appointment in 2019, right before the pandemic began.
"As someone who has long felt called to serve vulnerable communities and combat the root causes of health disparities, being the first California Surgeon General during the greatest public crisis in a century has been the experience of a lifetime," said Harris in a statement to the Office of the California Surgeon General website.
Harris noted that working together with her team, California saw the lowest cumulative COVID-19 mortality rate of any large state.
"While that is a notable accomplishment from a public health perspective, I am given pause by what that means for everyday families," she wrote. "I'm grateful to have helped California's kids to have more time with their grandparents, spouses to have more time with their partners, and mothers to have more time with their babies."
The office will continue to invest and support the state's efforts in areas that Harris in particular was passionate about, such as pediatric health and children exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress.
While Harris did not outline a specific reason for her stepping down from the role, she did cite self-care as an important element.
"I have always said, self-care isn't selfish. That is not just something I say. They are words that I live by. As I transition out of this role and focus on prioritizing care for myself and my family, I will never stop supporting efforts to improve the health and well-being of our communities," she wrote.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has not yet announced a replacement for Harris. In the meantime, another member of Harris' team, Dr. Devika Bhushan, will serve as Acting Surgeon General.
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