Her departure comes as the federal government is winding down its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The public health emergency that was declared in January 2020 is ending May 11. The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency.
In announcing Walensky's departure, Biden said she led a complex organization that was on the frontlines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic — and she did it with honesty and integrity.