CDC Survey Teams Pulled After Multiple Incidents

COVID-19 survey teams have been pulled from Minnesota after they encountered both intimidation and racism.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the aim of the CDC-supported survey, called CASPER, was to better understand how COVID-19 is spreading in the state and how it’s affecting people — potentially improving aspects of the state’s response to the virus.

However, the survey teams were pulled from the state by the CDC after multiple incidents.

Minnesota Health Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff said health officials are “deeply disappointed” to hear about these incidents, which include survey teams with people of color being subjected to racial slurs.

In one incident, a survey team in southern Minnesota was blocked by two cars and confronted by three men, one who was armed. Huff says racial epithets were used by the men, and the workers felt intimidated.

Here is Dan Huff during a recent daily briefing on COVID-19.

“We know people are hurting and people are frustrated. The pandemic has gone on a long time, we’re all tired and we’re all worried. But there’s a difference between disagreeing with a policy or elected official, and taking out frustrations on a public health person who is trying to do their job and help the community as best they can. We know most people understand this. The enemy is the virus not each other,” said Huff.

Huff says the health department stands against racism in its many forms, whether individual acts or structural racism.