Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control: What They Are and How Atlantans Interact With Them

When people search for “Atlanta Center for Disease Control”, they are usually thinking of the CDC — the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose main campus is in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you live in Atlanta or are visiting, it helps to know:

• What the CDC does here
• Where its key campuses are
• What is and isn’t open to the public
• How Atlanta residents actually interact with the CDC and related local health agencies

Below is a clear, locally focused guide.

What Is the CDC in Atlanta?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. Its headquarters are in Atlanta, and much of its scientific research, emergency response work, and administrative leadership is based here.

From an Atlanta resident’s point of view, the CDC is:

• A major federal employer and research hub
• A source of public health guidance and information
• A behind-the-scenes partner to state and local health departments, such as the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Fulton County Board of Health

However, the CDC is not a walk‑in medical clinic or hospital. If you need personal medical care, vaccines, or testing, you will typically use local doctors, clinics, pharmacies, or county health departments, not the CDC campus itself.

Key CDC Locations in Atlanta

The CDC operates multiple campuses in and around Atlanta. Below are the main ones most people refer to when they say “the Atlanta CDC.”

1. CDC Roybal Campus (Main Headquarters)

Location (Approximate):
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329

This is the primary CDC headquarters campus, often called the Roybal Campus. It sits near Emory University and the Druid Hills neighborhood, just east of downtown Atlanta.

Key things to know:

• Secure federal site: It has high-security laboratories and offices.
• Not a public clinic: Atlantans don’t go here for regular medical appointments.
• Limited public access: Entry is restricted; visitors generally must have official business and pre-arranged clearance.

2. CDC Chamblee Campus

Location (Approximate):
4770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30341

This campus, often called the Chamblee or Buford Highway campus, houses several CDC programs, including some focused on chronic disease, environmental health, and international health.

Key points:

• Located in the Chamblee/Doraville area, northeast of central Atlanta
• Another secured campus, not a walk-in service site
• Important employer in the metro area, particularly for public health and research professionals

3. Other CDC-Related Facilities in the Atlanta Area

There are additional CDC and CDC-affiliated facilities in the metro Atlanta area, including specialized labs and administrative offices. Most are similarly secure and not open to public drop-ins.

For everyday purposes, most residents only need to know:

• The CDC is based mainly on Clifton Road (Roybal) and Buford Highway (Chamblee).
• These sites are primarily for research, policy, and administration, not routine healthcare.

How the CDC Affects Daily Life in Atlanta

Even though you may never set foot inside a CDC building, its presence in Atlanta touches daily life in several ways.

Public Health Guidance

The CDC issues recommendations and information that:

• Shape vaccination guidance followed by local clinics and pharmacies
• Inform disease surveillance and outbreak response in the Atlanta area
• Support school, business, and event health policies (often in partnership with state and local health departments)

In practice, when Atlantans hear about CDC guidelines on vaccines, travel, or disease prevention, those recommendations are being created just a few miles away at the Clifton Road and Chamblee campuses.

Jobs and Education

Atlanta is a major hub for public health careers in the U.S., largely because of the CDC’s headquarters here.

For local residents, this can mean:

• Employment opportunities in science, IT, administration, communications, and public health
• Collaboration between the CDC and Atlanta institutions like Emory University, Georgia Tech, Morehouse School of Medicine, and local hospitals
• Training and fellowship opportunities that attract students and professionals to the city

What the CDC Does Not Do for Atlanta Residents

It’s easy to assume the CDC in Atlanta works like a large hospital, but it doesn’t. Knowing these boundaries saves time and frustration.

The Atlanta CDC campuses generally do not:

• Provide walk-in medical care for the public
• Offer routine vaccinations directly to residents
• Run public urgent care, ER, or hospital services
• Serve as a typical laboratory testing center where patients can drop off samples

Instead, medical services for Atlanta residents are handled by:

• Local hospitals and health systems (such as Emory Healthcare, Grady Health System, Piedmont, Wellstar, and others)
• Fulton County Board of Health and DeKalb County Board of Health clinics
• Community health centers and private medical practices
• Pharmacies that offer vaccines and basic testing

If you are looking for care, testing, or vaccines, your direct contact will usually be with these local providers, not the CDC.

Where to Go in Atlanta for Health Services Instead of the CDC

Here is a simple overview to help you decide where to go for what you need.

Local Agencies That Work With the CDC in Atlanta

To understand “how the CDC works in Atlanta,” it helps to know the local public health partners that residents actually contact.

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH)

The Georgia Department of Public Health, headquartered in Atlanta, is the state-level agency that coordinates public health within Georgia. It works with the CDC on:

• Statewide disease tracking and response
• Immunization programs
• Emergency preparedness and health education

Residents may interact with DPH through:

• Public health announcements
• Vaccination programs
• Statewide resources for issues like HIV prevention, maternal health, and environmental health

Fulton County Board of Health

For residents in Atlanta and Fulton County, the Fulton County Board of Health is often a direct point of contact for:

• Community clinics and health centers
• Certain vaccination and screening services
• Local disease monitoring and public health outreach

The Board of Health has several locations throughout Fulton County, including sites in or near central Atlanta.

DeKalb County Board of Health

Many neighborhoods east of the city (including areas near the Clifton Road CDC campus) fall within DeKalb County. The DeKalb County Board of Health provides:

• County health clinics
• Vaccination and health education services
• Local programming for chronic disease, maternal and child health, and more

These county agencies serve residents directly, while staying aligned with the national guidance that the CDC issues from its Atlanta campuses.

When Might an Atlanta Resident Directly Interact With the CDC?

For most people, the CDC will remain in the background—you see the logo on the news, but you don’t go to the campus. However, some Atlantans may interact more directly in certain situations:

• Employment or internships: Many Atlanta-area professionals and students work or train at the CDC.
• Professional collaboration: Local doctors, public health workers, and researchers sometimes partner with CDC staff.
• Public events or conferences: Large public health conferences in Atlanta may feature CDC speakers or sessions.
• Media or communications work: Local journalists and communicators may contact the CDC for official comments or guidance.

For day-to-day personal healthcare, though, you will still use local clinics and hospitals.

Practical Tips for Atlantans Searching “Atlanta Center for Disease Control”

If your search brought you here, you might be trying to solve one of several problems. Here’s how to redirect to the right place:

1. “I need a vaccination or health screening.”

✅ Try:

• Your primary care doctor or pediatrician
• Local pharmacies in Atlanta (many offer common vaccines)
• Fulton or DeKalb County Board of Health clinics

The CDC campus itself is not where residents go for routine shots.

2. “I want medical advice about a symptom or condition.”

✅ Try:

• A licensed healthcare provider (clinic, urgent care, telehealth, or hospital)
• If it’s urgent or severe, an emergency department

The CDC provides public health information but does not diagnose or treat individual patients on-site.

3. “I’m an Atlanta student or professional interested in working at the CDC.”

✅ Consider:

• Exploring public health training programs at Atlanta institutions like Emory, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, or Morehouse School of Medicine
• Looking for public health internships, fellowships, or entry-level roles with federal, state, or local agencies headquartered in Atlanta

4. “I just want reliable information about diseases or travel health.”

✅ Use:

• Publicly available CDC disease and travel guidance
• Information from the Georgia Department of Public Health and your local health provider

This information is developed and updated regularly, much of it from the CDC offices right here in Atlanta.

What Makes Atlanta’s CDC Presence Unique

For someone living in or visiting Atlanta, the CDC’s presence means you are in a city that is:

• A central hub for global health and disease control
• Home to thousands of public health professionals and researchers
• A frequent location for public health conferences, trainings, and collaborations

You may pass by the Clifton Road or Buford Highway campuses on your commute, see CDC-branded buses or signage, or meet people who work there. But for most residents, your day-to-day health needs will still go through local doctors, clinics, and county health departments, with the CDC operating mostly behind the scenes as a national and global public health leader based right here in Atlanta.