Health officials across U.S. being pushed out
Some faced threats, political heat.
Blade news services
Mon, 10 Aug 2020 19:02:33 GMT
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Vilified, threatened with violence, and in some cases suffering from burnout, dozens of state and local public health officials around the United States have resigned or have been fired amid the coronavirus outbreak, a testament to how politically combustible masks, lockdowns, and infection data have become.
The latest departure came Sunday, when California’s public health director, Dr. Sonia Angell, quit without explanation after a technical glitch caused a delay in reporting virus test results — information used to make decisions about reopening businesses and schools.
Ohio’s Dr. Amy Acton was among those who have stepped down, resigning in June after months of pressure, during which Republican lawmakers tried to strip her of her authority and armed protesters showed up at her house.
A review by the Kaiser Health News service and the Associated Press finds at least 48 state and local public health leaders have resigned, retired, or been fired since April across 23 states.
The list has grown by more than 20 people since the Associated Press and KHN started keeping track in June.
The report comes as the United States has surpassed 5 million cases of the virus, about a quarter of the 20 million infections recorded around the world.
The departures are making a bad situation worse, at a time when the United States needs good public health leadership the most, said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
“We’re moving at breakneck speed here to stop a pandemic, and you can’t afford to hit the pause button and say, ‘We’re going to change the leadership around here, and we’ll get back to you after we hire somebody,’” Ms. Freeman said.
As of Monday, confirmed infections in the United States stood at more than 5 million, with deaths topping 163,000, the highest in the world, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Many of the firings and resignations have to do with conflicts over mask orders or social distancing shutdowns, Ms. Freeman said. Many politicians and ordinary Americans have argued that such measures are not needed, contrary to the scientific evidence and the advice of public health experts.
“It’s not a health divide; it’s a political divide,” Ms. Freeman said.
Some health officials said they were leaving for family reasons, others had planned to retire, and some left for jobs at other health agencies, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, many left amid a pressure-cooker environment.
Public health leaders from Dr. Anthony Fauci down to officials in small communities have reported death threats and intimidation. Some have seen their home addresses published or have been attacked on social media. Dr. Fauci has said his wife and daughters have received serious threats.
It was on Dr. Acton’s advice that Ohio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine became the first governor to shut down schools statewide. Dr. Acton also called off the state’s presidential primary in March just hours before polls were to open, angering those who saw it as an overreaction.
In Colorado, Kim Gonzales, executive director of Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department, found her car vandalized twice, and a group called Colorado Counties for Freedom ran a radio ad demanding that her authority be reduced. Ms. Gonzales has remained on the job.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice forced the resignation of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Cathy Slemp in June over what he said were discrepancies in the data. Dr. Slemp said the department’s work had been hurt by outdated technology like fax machines and slow computer networks.
“We are driving a great aunt’s Pinto when what you need is to be driving a Ferrari,” Dr. Slemp said.
Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins, was critical of Dr. Slemp’s firing and said it was deeply concerning that public health officials who told “uncomfortable truths” to political leaders had been removed.
“That’s terrible for the national response because what we need for getting through this, first of all, is the truth. We need data and we need people to interpret the data and help political leaders make good judgments,” Mr. Inglesby said.
In rural Colorado, Emily Brown was fired in late May as director of the Rio Grande County Public Health Department after clashing with county commissioners over reopening recommendations. The person who replaced her resigned July 9.
“I think there’s a leadership gap. Our elected officials in positions of power, whether presidents, governors, or mayors, they aren’t supporting staff better or aligning messages,” forcing public health officials to bear the political pressure, Ms. Brown said. “It’s really hard to hear that we could be losing that expertise.”