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Hundreds of federal health workers early on Tuesday learned their jobs had been cut, with many turned away at their office building doors, as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plunged ahead on a mass restructuring.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced last week that 10,000 employees would be let go and, with voluntary departures, the department would reduce its staffing ranks from 80,000 to 60,000.
Tuesday's layoffs included several top officials, and swept through agencies that oversee the country's food and drug safety as well as those that fight disease.
President Donald Trump has worked since inauguration day with adviser Elon Musk to slash the federal payroll.