County pledges probe into health worker's coronavirus death - Associated Press

Officials in a Maryland county say they “will spare no time or expense” investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a veteran public health worker who died of COVID-19 after relatives and coworkers believe she contracted the virus on the job.

The probe follows a story by Kaiser Health News and The Associated Press two weeks ago focusing on the worker, Chantee Mack, a 44-year-old disease intervention specialist at the Prince George’s County Health Department who union officials said was among at least 20 department employees infected by the coronavirus.

Mack’s coworker Rhonda Wallace, leader of a local branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said she and others from the union met with two county council members shortly after the stories ran, then was told about the investigation after a separate meeting among county council members and officials.

She was among 100 staffers deemed essential during the pandemic out of the more than 500 employees at the health department.

An internal union document obtained by KHN detailed a conference call by department managers in which Diane Young, an associate director, said all family health services workers were essential.

At the recent news conference, Alsobrooks said the nation has gained a greater understanding of the virus since those early days.

“What we did was follow principles of public health,” Carter said at the news conference.

Laura Ungar is a reporter with Kaiser Health News