Health Secretary Alex Azar defended working conditions in meatpacking plants on a phonecall with lawmakers, saying workers were more likely to catch coronavirus based on their social interactions and group living situations
The country’s top health official downplayed concerns over the public health conditions inside meatpacking plants, suggesting on a call with lawmakers that workers were more likely to catch coronavirus based on their social interactions and group living situations, three participants said.
"He was essentially turning it around, blaming the victim and implying that their lifestyle was the problem," said Rep. Ann Kuster , who told POLITICO that Azar’s comments left her deeply concerned about the administration’s priorities in fighting the pandemic. "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.
But the discussion veered onto the subject of meatpacking plant conditions after Sen. Pat Roberts voiced concerns about plant closures and asked about the availability of coronavirus testing for the facilities.Azar emphasized the need to keep the plants open, according to the three people on the call. He also theorized that workers were largely not becoming infected at the meatpacking plants, and were instead contracting the coronavirus from their communities.
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