ATTACKED, SECOND GUESSED, AND
EVEN THREATENED.
>> I DON’T WANT YOU TO BE
AFRAID.
I AM NOT AFRAID.
I AM DETERMINED.
>> Reporter: BACK IN MARCH, OHIO
HEALTH DIRECTOR DR. AMY AKTIN
WAS HAILED AS A LEADER IN A
CRISIS.
A FAN CLUB STARTED.
>> I AM NOT AFRAID.
>> KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
>> Reporter: LITTLE GIRLS
DRESSED UP LIKE HER.
>> ANY QUESTIONS?
>> ACTON’S GOT TO GO!
>> Reporter: BUT THEN CAME THE
BACKLASH.
PERSONAL ATTACKS ON THE
UNELECTED OFFICIAL.
PROTESTERS SHOWING UP AT HER
HOME.
SOME WITH GUNS.
THIS SUMMER SHE RESIGNED.
>> WHEN SHE STEPPED DOWN FROM
THAT POSITION, I REALLY THOUGHT
AS A TRAGEDY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
>> Reporter: DR. CHARITY DEAN
USED TO BE SECOND IN COMMAND AT
THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF PUBLIC
HEALTH.
HE’S ONEF 30 WHO RESIGNED,
RETIRED OR BEEN FIRED AMID
POLITICAL PRESSURE.
>> IMAGINE IF PROTESTERS SHOWED
UP TO THE HOME OF THE FIRE CHIEF
TO PROTEST THE WAY THEY WERE
MANAGING A FIRE.
THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS.
BUT THAT’S WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
TO LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICERS
AS THEY STRIVE TO DO THEIR JOB
BASED ON SCIENCE.
>> I’M LAURIE FROM NORTH CENTRAL
WASHINGTON.
>> I’M EMILY.
I’M IN SOUTH CENTRAL COLORADO.
>> I’M DAWN.
I’M IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> AND I’M BARBARA, L.A. COUNTY.
>> Reporter: HI, LADIES.
>> HI.
>> Reporter: WE BROUGHT TOGETHER
A GROUP OF CURRENT AND FORMER
HEALTH OFFICIALS.
SHOW OF HANDS.
HOW MANY OF YOU GOT INTO THIS
JOB FOR THE MONEY?
>> THAT’S A JOKE.
>> Reporter: LAURIE JONES HAS
BEEN A COMMUNITY HEALTH DIRECTOR
IN RURAL WASHINGTON FOR 17
YEARS.
IS THE WAY YOU’RE BEING TREATED
RIGHT NOW DIFFERENT THAN
ANYTHING YOU’VE EXPERIENCED IN
YOUR CAREER?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
>> Reporter: I STARTED TO HEAR
ABOUT HOW OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT
ARE WORKING HAD THEIR CARS
BROKEN INTO, BEEN FOLLOWED HOME,
HAD ROCKS THROWN THROUGH THE
BUILD.
>> Reporter: HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE HAD PERSONAL THREATS
AGAINST YOU?
THREE OF THE FOUR OF YOU.
OKAY.
>> THAT FEAR, YOU KNOW, I’VE
NEVER FELT THAT BEFORE.
A PERSON POSTED SOMETHING TO THE
EFFECT "F" HER, "F" THEM, LET’S
START SHOOTING.
>> Reporter: WHEN JONES CHECKED
IN ON A FAMILY SHE’D ASKED TO
QUARANTINE, A FACEBOOK POST
ACCUSED HER OF SURVEILLING THEM
AND THREATS POURED IN.
>> I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO GET
SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT AT MY
HOME.
>> IT MAKES EVERYBODY FEARFUL AT
A TIME WHERE WE NEED TO SHOW UP
AT OUR BEST.
>> Reporter: BARBARA FERRER
OVERSEES THE L.A. COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT.
SHE’S BEEN GETTING HATE MAIL
SINCE MARCH.
>> ONE WOMAN SAID USING FOUL
LANGUAGE SOMEBODY NEEDED TO
SHOOT ME AND ANOTHER PERSON
VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE THAT TASK
ON.
>> Reporter: WAIT A SECOND.
THEY THREATENED YOUR LIFE?
>> YES.
WE ALL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW
ANGRY PEOPLE ARE.
PEOPLE HAVE LOST SO MUCH.
>> Reporter: ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
SOME OF THAT VERY PUBLIC ANGER
HAS GOTTEN SO PERSONAL.
>> YOU DID NOT LISTEN TO WE THE
PEOPLE!
>> SHE NEEDS TO BE FIRED.
WE ARE GOING TO GO TO HER FRONT
YARD.
>> Reporter: INCLUDING THE
PROTESTS AT PEOPLE’S HOMES THAT
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE
BEEN ASSIGNED SECURITY DETAILS.
>> IT’S JUST BEEN REALLY HEART
BREAKING TO SEE JUST HOW MUCH
OUR PROFESSION IS BEING
CRITICIZED AND DISCREDITED.
WHEN WE NEED PUBLIC HEALTH, MORE
THAN EVER RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: DAWN EMRICK
RESIGNED FROM HER POSITION IN
SAN ANTONIO IN LATE JUNE.
DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS
OF THE WAY WOMEN ARE BEING
TREATED?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> A LOT OF THE HATE MAIL THAT
COMES THROUGH IS REALLY SO
PERSONAL IN NATURE.
MOST OF MY MALE COLLEAGUES DON’T
GET TAKEN ON IN THAT WAY AT ALL.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER SOURCE OF
THE EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE,
ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WHEN THE COLORADO COUNTY WHERE
EMILY BROWN RAN THE HEALTH
DIDN’T WANT
DEPUTY WANTED TO REOPEN, SHE
FOUND HERSELF AT ODDS.
>> I FELT IT WAS MUCH TOO SOON
FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
>> Reporter: SHE WAS FIRED
SHORTLY AFTER.
SO WE KNOW OF AT LEAST 30 PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS WHO HAVE
RESIGNED, RETIRED, OR HAVE BEEN
FIRED DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
THAT’S A LOT.
>> IT IS A LOT.
WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEONE WITH
DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, IT’S
RISKIER FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT WE
SUPPORT THE ONE WHO IS ARE IN
OFFICE AND THAT WE SUPPORT
SCIENCE.
>> KEEP IN MIND THE STAKES OF
LOSING SO MANY SEASONED
PROFESSIONALS, THESE ARE THE
PEOPLE WE RELY ON TO PROTECT US
FROM DISEASE OUTBREAKS FROM E.
COLI
COLI.
THEY’RE THE ONES WE’LL LOOK TO
FOR VACCINATIONS FOR COVID-19.
>> WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO SUPPORT
THOSE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES?
>> ALL THOSE OFFICIALS THERE
SAID THEY’RE DOING THE BEST TO
DO THEIR JOB BASED ON SCIENCE.
AND IF YOU LIKE THE JOB YOUR
LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIAL IS DOING,
WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO IS
SPEAK UP AND DEFEND THEM.