The CDC is made up of some of the few idealists left in the government. Their goal is to isolate the disease and find a cure as soon as possible. They are hampered in this effort by the interference of other factions, corporate, private, and government, most notably the BuReloc, who has access to all the information the CDC has.
Of the governmental agencies, the CDC is the least heartless. They view the children as unfortunate victims of a terrible disease, and they work around the clock to try to isolate the virus and help the children. So far, nothing they have done has worked, although they have discovered that children can survive the plague, and thereafter appear to develop an immunity. The government and corporations have squelched this information, waiting until the disease itself has been isolated. The CDC itself is not concerned about leaking such information, so the word has started to hit the street
The CDC endeavors to get not only the infected, but also some children suspected of having been infected, who are then put under observation. The CDC has a lot of data about the later stages of the disease, and is working on finding out more about the early stages. Since the disease can be survived, and in fact has been demonstrated to be typically non-fatal to children, the CDC has also managed to acquire some ‘undesirables’ from BuReloc (it’s “sister” bureau within the Dept. of Health) for vector testing.
While many might bridle at this as inhumane, the CDC is pulling these kids out of a relocation camp and providing them with decent food and shelter and a small stipend until they are sixteen. In exchange for a more stable future with some vague sort of hope, the kids get infected and the CDC studies the early stages and experiments on infection vectors. It’s painful, but at least the CDC workers are compassionate.
Since BuReloc is everywhere, the CDC has a hard time getting kids to study. BuReloc would rather just kill them all. Normally the CDC gets involved as a shadowy background figure behind the efforts of the Axis, the Plague Survivor’s Alliance, the Police, or some other group of similar public-service bent. The CDC provides the equipment and finances, and the group provides the extraction. What this means is that the extraction will look like the work of some fringe group, but the CDC is actually pulling the strings. You never know who might really be behind any kidnapping. Could be the CDC. Of course, it could be Arasaka, as well.
At times, the CDC will even use their access to government records and information to set up an extraction from another arm of the government or a corporation. They’ve never been caught doing this… yet. Even so, their unconventional approach is known to the rest of those in power. As a result of their maverick approach, the CDC has been taking a lot of heat from the government, and they may soon find themselves shut down or purged.
The former head of the CDC Dr David Chaing disappeared shortly after sending his Carbon Plague Analysis reports to the government (and his friend Lt General John Hunter). He has since been replaced by Dr Margaret Tuere who is much more hard line, it is expected that there may be a quiet purge going on inside the CDC of those who are not towing the party line.