MDH COVID-19 Public Health Survey

MDH COVID-19 Public Health Survey

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is doing a voluntary, in-person survey to understand the effect COVID-19 is having on Minnesota communities. The survey is called a modified Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, or CASPER survey. MDH sent out a press release on Sept. 15: https://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2020/covid091520.html.

Survey teams will be in neighborhoods around Minnesota between Sept. 14 and Sept. 30. We wanted to make you aware in case you get calls from community members.

Survey team members are public health workers. They will wear vests with nametags that identify them as members of an MDH CASPER team. Their vehicles will have magnets on the side that say, "COVID-19 Survey Team." Over the month of September, survey teams will visit neighborhoods and ring the doorbells of houses to ask them to participate in a survey. Households will not be notified in advance.

Participation is voluntary, and participants can stop at any point during the survey.

Teams will ask household members to complete a questionnaire and ask for their consent to perform a nasal swab and antibody test. All health information collected during the survey will remain confidential. Positive test results will be shared with the health department case investigation team.

More information is available on the MDH website: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/casper.html.

If you have questions, you can contact health.serosurvey.c19@state.mn.us.