- Oct 17, 2011
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A survey focusing on COVID-19 has ended in Minnesota after multiple survey teams were confronted by residents in towns across the state, according to Dan Huff, an assistant commissioner with the Minnesota Department of Health.
Huff said the incidents led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to withdraw teams from the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) project.
According to Huff, CASPER teams with people of color were subjected to racial slurs while in the field.
Huff also reported an incident in Eitzen on Sept. 15 where a CASPER team was surrounded by three men, one of whom was armed. During the incident, the three men refused to accept their identification as public health workers.
CASPER teams also reported incidents where people walking dogs or neighborhood residents would question teams, or yell at them and threaten to call the police.
According to Huff, a pattern showed that teams with people of color were reporting more incidents than teams that did not have people of color.
"We know people are hurting and frustrated. We also know some people disagree with various government policies and approaches, but there is a difference between disagreeing with a policy and taking out frustrations on a public health worker who is trying to do their job and help the community as best they can," Huff said. "And no matter how frustrated someone may be, we must draw a clear line at expressions of racism against and intimidation of workers who happen to be people of color.
Huff said the incidents led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to withdraw teams from the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) project.
According to Huff, CASPER teams with people of color were subjected to racial slurs while in the field.
Huff also reported an incident in Eitzen on Sept. 15 where a CASPER team was surrounded by three men, one of whom was armed. During the incident, the three men refused to accept their identification as public health workers.
CASPER teams also reported incidents where people walking dogs or neighborhood residents would question teams, or yell at them and threaten to call the police.
According to Huff, a pattern showed that teams with people of color were reporting more incidents than teams that did not have people of color.
"We know people are hurting and frustrated. We also know some people disagree with various government policies and approaches, but there is a difference between disagreeing with a policy and taking out frustrations on a public health worker who is trying to do their job and help the community as best they can," Huff said. "And no matter how frustrated someone may be, we must draw a clear line at expressions of racism against and intimidation of workers who happen to be people of color.
