Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said workers in U.S. meatpacking plants were more likely to have become infected with COVID-19 as a result of their social interactions and group living situations than conditions at their job sites.
Politico noted his comments appear to downplay conditions inside the meatpacking plants by suggesting the infected employees were bringing the virus into work.
His remarks were made to a bipartisan group of lawmakers in an April 28 call, according to Politico, which attributed the information to three participants.
The comments came after at least 20 workers at the plants have died from the virus.
Some of those on the call were alarmed by Azar’s remarks, which were interpreted as faulting workers for the outbreak, Politico noted.
"He was essentially turning it around, blaming the victim and implying that their lifestyle was the problem," said Rep. Ann Kuster D-N.H. "Their theory of the case is that they are not becoming infected in the meat processing plant, they're becoming infected because of the way they live in their home."
An HHS spokesperson declined to offer any proof in support Azar’s comments and said the department doesn’t comment on specifics of conversations with lawmakers, but maintained that “this is an inaccurate representation of Secretary Azar’s comments during the discussion.”
Meanwhile, a South Dakota pork processing plant moved ahead with reopening plans this week after the coronavirus infected more than 800 employees.
Two departments opened at the Smithfield Foods plants in Sioux Falls as workers were screened for fevers.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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